Story 4 - Beyond the Brink
by cheekylittlelass
Summary: A failed attempt on his life leaves Starscream burning for revenge, but his only available clue is a name: Unicron-a strange, vast world where mechs of all factions fight over rich energon that oozes from the ground. Starscream and Alexis must go undercover as master and slave to discover who wants Starscream dead-but will they discover the planet's secret before it's too late?
1. Chapter 1

You might want to get yourself a cup of tea/coffee/wine/energon, because this first chapter is long, for me. ;-) Anyway, enjoy! This is the sequel to Uneasy Elements. Hugs to all my readers. :-)

* * *

Chapter 1

Darkmount, the Decepticon prison, loomed large amid a bubbling lake of scalding magma and slag, glowing red and white-hot as it oozed round the spiked, imposing structure – a most effective preventative measure against escape. No bot could break free from these forbidding walls, not even the strongest mech could snap the heavy chains, or bust the thick bars that bound them. So Rumble and Frenzy had no chance at all.

Frenzy sat in the corner of the cell, holding his metallic hands out in front of him, staring at them with detached numbness, trying to process the awful truth that kept repeating itself, over and over, in his processor.

He was going to die.

Or, rather, _they_ were going to die. It was just a question of when. Low-grade energon had been delivered to the cell periodically – it tasted disgusting and had sediment in the bottom, but the casseticons had drained every last drop. Nevertheless Frenzy felt exhausted. He sat slumped in the corner, whilst his brother, Rumble, paced the cell, pausing every now and then to grab at the thick bars that ran along one wall.

'Right, right… right,' he muttered furiously, his optics narrowed with frantic thought. 'So, the bars are a no-no, we can't get to the vents… what about the floor? We could try the floor, again… perhaps tunnel our way to the…'

'Rumble, bro, what are you doing?' Frenzy said miserably. 'We can't get out of here!'

'We can!' his brother hissed, wheeling about and glaring at Frenzy. 'We just need to figure out how!'

'You think we can escape Darkmount? No one can! We're just casseticons!'

'I am NOT going to die!' Rumble snarled, clenching his fists.

'Even we could bust outta here, where would we go?'

'Anywhere,' said Rumble promptly, resuming his pacing. 'We're small, we can blend in. Sneak aboard a shipment vessel, start a new life someplace…'

Frenzy shook his head. Rumble knew as well as he did that they were both slagged. Bound for the scrapheap. On their way to meet Primus. What had made things much worse, was that Starscream was drawing out their agony – it had been five orbital cycles since their arrest and imprisonment. Frenzy had expected to be hauled before the High Court the very next cycle, but nothing had happened… and Rumble in particular was close to cracking. Starscream was a master of torture, and in this case, he didn't have to hurt them – didn't even have to lay a finger on them to cause them extreme torment. He just had to make them wait, at his leisure.

The High Court was merely a formality, anyway. Frenzy went back to staring miserably at his hands, trying to process the realization that soon they would be devoid of life, of movement. What he and Rumble had done immediately warranted the death penalty. If he could turn back time… he drew his knees into his chest, and off-lined his optics, in order to block out the sight of Rumble pacing. If only Alexis were here. Frenzy didn't know how she did it, but somehow his human friend had the capacity to make Starscream see reason, to show mercy… what he wouldn't give to have her here now! He huddled further into himself, as if by doing so he could make himself so small as to be barely noticeable when the guards finally came for them…

* * *

_5 cycles earlier, on the planet Lithone._

Arcee was a petite mech, when standing upright she only just came up to Optimus' chest plates, yet in this cramped bar she felt like a giant next to the other punters. Lithone's population divided neatly into two types: the upper class were tall and broad, with shining silver bodies, in fact silver was the majority element on Lithone – from space it gleamed like a mirrored marble. The upper classes had their own hot-spots and haunts, with soaring ceilings and wide doorways. This grubby little establishment was for the lower orders: small knee-high bronze mechs who survived on low pay and did most of the menial work. Lithone was a planet of contradiction: obscene wealth sat alongside dire poverty. Arcee was here alone. Since the arrival of the Autobots back on Cybertron, she had rejoiced at being back in with her own kind, and it was only now she realized how lonely she had been in those dark days hiding from the Decepticons. But, she was still a loner through and through, and this mission was hers alone. That was how she liked it.

She nodded to the bar-bot, who scurried off down the far end to fetch her another drink. When it had been built, this place obviously harboured pathetic hopes that the higher orders would come in here for refreshment: the bar had been made to allow tall transformers to stand at it comfortably, meaning Arcee had to stand on tiptoe to see over properly. The small mechs had to climb with difficulty onto high stools. Arcee was too big for the stools, and too small to see over the bar properly. What a stupid design, she thought irritably. Still, if she had to give her money to anyone on this gaudy sphere, she would rather give it to the underdog than the top dog. Hence choosing this dive to re-energise in.

Her drink arrived and she nodded her thanks, activating her com link to send credits directly into the bar's data banks. She blinked when the transaction failed and the small bar-bot with dented armour gave a nervous smile.

'Sorry ma'am,' he chirped. 'We don't have that kind of technology here.'

Arcee waved away his apologies, digging into her cargo hold and placing some credit chips on the bar. The bar-bot took them with a nod of thanks, but then looked up, his optics widening at a sight behind her. Arcee turned to follow his gaze.

What she saw turned her spark cold. Yet years of training kicked in, and she just about managed to keep her expression neutral.

A Decepticon jet had entered the bar. He had to duck his head, and turn sideways in order to accommodate his impressive wingspan. Arcee watched him straighten up with a grunt, his head grazing the ceiling. He was so huge he blocked out the light of the doorway, his slanted red optics casting a pale glow over the bar and its inhabitants. The diminutive clientele murmured amongst themselves, impressed and intimidated.

He began moving forward, his footsteps thumping the floor, negotiating his way through the tiny tables. The dimness of the bar made his colours difficult to make out, but Arcee caught a flash of blue right before she turned around to face the bar.

_Thundercracker._

Thundercracker reached the bar, and positioned himself right next to Arcee. She was confident he wouldn't recognize her – before she left Cybertron she had had her energy signature dampened and replaced with an artificial one. Ratchet had also helped her completely overhaul her armour – she wore an anonymous, dull grey and green ensemble, meant to resemble a patch-job outfit worn by a traveling mech of limited means. But she still felt a thrill of nerves in her spark as the hulking Decepticon arrived next to her, his figure blocking the lights overhead, throwing her into shadow. He leaned in, his deep voice rumbling as he addressed the bar-bot. 'Your finest grade, right here.' A handful of credit chips tumbled onto the bar, clattering in her audio receptors.

'Right,' squeaked the bar-bot. 'Uh… do you want a half, or a whole serving, sir?'

Thundercracker raised an eyebrow, straightening up to his full, impressive height. 'Do l look like I want a half measure?'

The bar-bot's optics traveled up, and up, over the seeker's wide chest, spread jet wings, and up to his glowing optics framed by a black and blue helmet. '…No…'

'I didn't think so. Extra large. And get me one of your Lithomorph-hound Sandwiches. Might as well give the local cuisine a try.'

The bot nodded, hurrying off. Thundercracker stretched, slowly and leisurely, turning around to survey the scene, leaning back on the bar. Beside him, the small green and grey femme stared straight ahead. Thundercracker noticed with amusement that her chin barely made it to the bar. How cute. She gripped her cup with both hands, seemingly lost in thought.

Thundercracker rubbed his chin. 'So… you're not a local, are you? Just passing through?'

The femme was silent for a few moments, as if wondering whether or not to speak to him. Finally, she answered, though she didn't look up. 'Yeah. Just passing through.'

Thundercracker nodded. 'I hear there's plenty of work round here if you want it. You in one of the refineries, or somethin'?'

The femme paused. 'Bar work, mostly.'

'Ah!' Thundercracker nodded, holding up a hand. 'I shoulda guessed. A little slice of premium pie like you would be wasted down in the refineries.'

_Jerk_. Arcee nodded briefly, willing him to just go away. What in Primus' name was he even doing here? She needed to make her escape, and looked about the bar, sussing out potential exits. To her dismay, she saw a large delivery of energon and other goods were being brought in through the front, several small mechs straining as they hauled on palettes that blocked the doorway. _Slag!_ She was stuck. At least her disguise seemed to be working.

Thundercracker's drink arrived, as well as a platter, that, in spite of herself, she craned to see, curious. It consisted of two vast chunks of silvery granite, in between which there oozed a thick sludge, silvery and black, with hunks of dessicated hound circuitry. It was topped off with sprinkled chunks of Augite. The whole thing would have fed her for several cycles. She stared, revolted, as Thundercracker lifted it up, turning it over curiously before taking a huge bite out of it.

'Hmm,' he rumbled as he munched, finally swallowing. 'Nice. Kinda heavy.' He stifled a burp, taking another bite. Arcee shuddered. He must have more sophisticated inner workings than she gave him credit for, if he could process solid matter like that. How could he actually consume something that used to be alive? In a few quick bites he had devoured it, dusting off his hands. 'Not bad at all. I'll have another one of those.' He gestured carelessly to the bar-bot, reaching for his energon. She glanced at the door once more, cursing internally. That infernal delivery was still going on. She fought the urge to go over and help the delivery mechs, just so she could escape quicker.

'One thing I can't quite figure out though,' said Thundercracker casually, gulping down a huge mouthful of energon, before turning to face her. She stayed where she was, still facing the bar, only half turning her head. Out the corner of her optics she could see his broad chest at head height. 'Oh?'

'Yeah. I'm sure you're great at your job… but working in a bar can't be much fun for you. I mean, surely a femme like you gets mechs _groping your aft all the time_.'

There was a silence. Arcee froze, her hands gripping her cup a little tighter.

_He knows._

She looked up, to find he had bent down to her level, a knowing grin spreading across his face as he studied her closely. She stared back, forcing her features to remain calm, swallowing her mouthful of energon. He moved in a little closer.

'Hello, Arcee. Fancy seeing you here.'

She was rendered speechless for a moment. Her mind immediately began working fast. There were currently no clear exits out of the bar. They were in a cramped space – she had the advantage in that her smaller size meant she could get out faster than he could, unless he destroyed the building… which he probably would, she realized, her spark sinking. Out in the open she would have felt more confident faced with the seeker, but in here he had her completely cornered. Her optics wandered to his guns, gleaming lethally in the lamplight. Her weapons were no match.

He raised his brows, following her gaze. 'Oh, don't worry. I'm sure we won't need to resort to those.' He clamped a hand down onto her shoulder – the weight of it made her knees buckle slightly. The bar-bot brought the second sandwich, placing it on the bar between them. 'Anything else, sir?'

'Yeah.' Thundercracker spoke without taking his eyes off Arcee, his fingers tightening over her shoulder. 'I wanna chat with my friend here. Got anywhere private?'

'Uh… there's a booth, right over there…'

'Great. Bring my sandwich. And another drink for the lady.'

Arcee lowered her head, scowling as Thundercracker firmly steered her into a corner, where a huge curved booth loomed over the other tables. He stood back to allow Arcee to seat herself first. She paused, glancing over at the door. It was still blocked: the palette had become wedged in the doorframe. She cursed internally again, looking up at her captor. Thundercracker smiled smoothly, gesturing her to the chair. Reluctantly, she slid into the booth.

The seeker wedged himself opposite with difficulty, grumbling as he struggled to seat his large frame. Arcee's feet dangled off the floor, yet Thundercracker's knees bumped up against the bottom of the table. The sandwich arrived, followed by another large energon. A smaller cup was placed at Arcee's elbow. She ignored it, glaring at the seeker, who was busy with his second sandwich, lifting it up delightedly. 'I gotta find out how you make these!'

He took a bite, leaning forwards, speaking with his mouth full. 'So… Arcee.' He swallowed, and smiled wolfishly. 'How've you been?'

She scowled up at him. 'What do you want, Thundercracker?'

'Oh, that's nice!' he replied, with mock hurt. 'Can't a mech enquire after the health of a femmebot without an ulterior motive?'

She tilted her head, her words acidic. 'I'm guessing you didn't just come in here to _stuff_ yourself like a space-hog and make small talk.'

He grinned wickedly, her insults sliding off him like oil. 'Well, I must say I didn't expect there to be such a juicy _dessert_ option on the menu… I'd better save some room…'

He leaned forwards some more, his shape like a cliff-face bearing down on her. She recoiled, turning to jump out of the booth and run for it. His huge hand shot out, engulfing her slim wrist and pulling her back.

'No, no! Don't run! Look, I'm sorry, that was outta line. Decepticon humour. I'm not gonna hurt you, Arcee.'

'And why should I believe you?'

The jet sat back, tossing the last bite of sandwich into his mouth and gulping it down in one go. 'Well, not to sound like a total aft-hole, you don't really have a choice. I'm bigger and stronger than you. I can stop you from leaving if you try.' His tone was matter-of-fact. 'But I'm not gonna hurt you. Hear me out.'

'You've never held back in the past when you wanted to hurt me, neither you nor your brothers. Or have you forgotten?'

He laughed, the sound booming throughout the bar. 'I recall it was _you_ who slapped _me_ last time we met, lady! But I didn't come here to go over past… conflicts.'

His tone became serious, and he leaned on the table, causing it to groan under his weight. 'The fact of the matter is, in less than a demi-cycle, this whole planet will belong to the Decepticons. My brother is on his way here right now, with his entire army behind him.'

Her optics widened. '_What?_ Why?'

Thundercracker smiled grimly. 'Lithone is up to its optics in debt.'

'In debt… To Starscream?'

Thundercracker nodded. 'They've been behind in their payments for stellar cycles now. Then, in their last shipment, they send sub-grade energon thinking we wouldn't notice. They'd diluted it with crater dust, or some slag like that. Very, very unwise move.'

Arcee slumped back in her seat. She suddenly found herself in need of a drink, grabbing her cup. She had meant to leave it, as a snub to Thundercracker, but that was now forgotten. Thundercracker finished his energon, setting the tumbler back down with a thump.

'Starscream sent me ahead to assess potential resistance.' He chuckled as she looked up. 'You stick out a mile, Arcee.'

Arcee looked at the table, her hands in her lap. 'What gave me away?' she asked quietly.

Thundercracker lounged back, his optics roving appraisingly over her slight frame. She wasn't used to being stared at like that and looked away, embarrassed. 'The way you move, your posture. The way you hold your head up. We've been enemies a long time, Arcee. I just knew. What are you doing here anyway?'

She had a sarcastic retort all ready on the tip of her glossa, but to her chagrin she found herself biting it back. 'Just… making my own enquiries about something.'

'You're going after the source of the Betagon, huh?' he grinned at her expression. 'Ah, I thought so. The lone femme, playing detective, hmm?'

She lifted her chin. 'So what if I am?'

He held up two large hands. 'Hey, none of my business, I know. All I'm saying is, you're about to be caught up in a Decepticon invasion. My brother is… sadly unsympathetic to Autobots who happen to be in his way, recent events notwithstanding, obviously. You'll be treated like any other prisoner of war if you're found.' He snorted contemptuously. 'Though I'd hardly call it a war. More like shooting silver space barnacles in a barrel. This planet is all shine, no sense.'

Arcee couldn't help but agree. Foolishness came off Lithone in waves: Greed and materialism radiated off the ostentatious buildings, whilst the real work was done by lowly mechs who were kept largely out of sight. It looked pretty from afar, but you didn't have to be here long to spy the rot. She felt a pang of sympathy for the little bronze mechs scuttling about in the bar, nevertheless. What would their lives be like under the ruthless grip of Starscream? As if reading her thoughts, Thundercracker followed the sweep of her saddened optics.

'They'll be alright,' he said gruffly. 'Starscream isn't here for them, he's got bigger prey to think about: namely the idiots running this show. Who knows, they might even enjoy seeing their superiors brought down a peg or two.'

'Maybe,' said Arcee. Thundercracker continued to watch her as she stared into space, lost in thought for a moment. Then, abruptly, she shook herself, and slid out of the booth.

'Well… I suppose thanks are in order, for the warning,' she said stiffly, avoiding optic contact. Thundercracker smiled, inclining his head. 'I'll lay low until your charming brother's finished his handiwork. There's still work I want to do here. Goodbye.'

To her relief the mechs had shifted the load, leaving the doorway clear. She hurried through the tables and strode out into the street, shaking slightly. What had just happened? Okay, so the Autobots and Decepticons weren't technically at war anymore, but they were still enemies! She wove her way through the crowd, head and shoulders above the bronze bustle. To think that bolt-bucket had been _flirting_ with her! When was the last time anyone had flirted with her? She couldn't remember.

A loud scraping sound made her look back, to see Thundercracker trying to heave his bulk out of the door. With an impatient growl, he wrenched free, sending debris raining down into the street. She snarled, annoyed, and quickened her pace, head held high, as he strode after her, causing the low-end mechs to scatter before his feet.

'Didn't you hear what I said?' he asked as he drew alongside her. Despite her size, she moved along at a remarkable pace and he had to concentrate on matching it. 'Starscream is on his way here to _invade_ this planet. I think it best you're out of the way of the conflict!'

'Sadly for you, I don't let Decepticons decide what is best for me, thank you.'

He sighed. 'Look, this is a friendly warning! I'm trying to help!'

'_Friendly? Help?_' she stopped short, and he almost rammed into her, optics wide in surprise. 'You call _cornering_ me in a bar, referring to me as _dessert_, making sure I know you can _force_ me to stay there… friendly?' With each emphasized word she poked his cockpit roughly.

He grinned haplessly and shrugged. 'Hey, I'm a Decepticon. I'm outta practise when it comes to friendly.'

'Understatement of the mega-cycle.' She marched off, mingling with the crowd once more. Thundercracker was poised to follow her, when suddenly his com-link beeped.

_All units, prepare for atmosphere entry. Thundercracker, report._

'Uh… Thundercracker reporting,' he said, peering distractedly down the busy street. 'Anticipation of attack: nil. Resistance capabilities: poor. I'll join you directly, Starscream.'

_Good. Five kliks to entry. _

He ran after the Autobot, dodging round a mech pushing a scrap metal cart, and found her ascending the steps to a dilapidated data library. 'Arcee… wait!'

She ignored him. 'I've finished talking to you, Thundercracker.'

He grabbed her wrists. 'Time for you to leave.'

Her optics widened. 'Get your servos _off_ me!'

She squirmed, trying to wriggle free, but he passed both wrists to his left hand, closing his fingers around them firmly. As she kicked at him, he transformed his right hand into a charge pulse node. Her optics widened further. 'Don't you _dare_!'

'Don't be mad… I know you'll be angry about this, but it's for the best, I promise…'

He gently touched the wires to her temple, delivering a charge that stunned her. Her knees buckled and she slumped forwards, as limp as a doll. He lifted her into his arms, and she lay huddled against his cockpit, her legs dangling over his arm. He took off with a roar of engine fire, the city soon dwindling to a speck beneath them.

He flew far out into space, until Lithone glimmered below them. Arcee stirred in his arms with a groan.

'You'll be fully operational again in about ten kliks,' he assured her, as he released her and she floated in the vacuum of space, her optics flickering confusedly. 'By then the planet will be in lockdown, and no one will be able to leave or enter, unless you possess a Decepticon energy signal. You should be safe here, your signal dampener is still working fine. I uh… I'm sorry about that, but it was the only way to get you out of there. You should be able to make it back to Cybertron with no trouble.'

She merely glared at him, her vocal processor still recovering from the charge. He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

'Well, I enjoyed that. I haven't had a date in… oooh, gotta be two million cycles.'

Her optics fizzed in rage, and she forced the words out, her vocal processor corrupted with static. 'That…. wasssssssnnnnn't a…dd-dddate!'

He grinned. 'See ya around, Arcee.'

He transformed into jet mode, and wheeled away in an arc, shooting back towards the silver planet.

* * *

Auxo now realized he had been tricked. He had been far too vain to see it.

At the top of the Solar, the ground shook once more as another blast rocked the building. The Solar was a wide, transparent dome at the top of a fortress from which defence commands were issued, and the security legions of Lithone were managed. The whole fortress was shaped like a huge beehive, wide at the bottom, with ever narrowing tiers as it rose upwards. From the beginning of his relatively short life, Auxo had looked up at it as a symbol of strength and security. That illusion was now being shattered as the Decepticons fought their way to the top. Where he was.

This morning he had been personal assistant to Stritho, ruler of the Higher Lithonians. Stritho was an imposing figure, if a little too fond of energon overloading and chasing young femmes. Until today Auxo had never even been allowed inside the Solar, a place reserved for a select elite. But Stritho had hurriedly ushered him up here, an arm around his shoulders, saying words to the effect of '… Think you're ready for this next step in your career…. Get a taste of command … destined for great things, young Auxo…'

Then he had hurriedly taken off into the sky. Auxo had been swelling with pride, so much so that he hadn't realized he'd been set up.

He stared miserably out of the windows down at the main city, as behind him a group of operatives fidgeted and twittered anxiously. The Decepticons were moving through the streets, setting up perimeters and stopping people from leaving. Numbly he observed there wasn't too much gunfire, at least they weren't destroying the city, not yet anyway.

There was another worrying tremor, this one felt much closer. The Decepticons were almost through to the top tier. He began to shake. He wasn't programmed for this! Behind him, one of the operatives was asking him what they should do. How should he know?

'H… have we re-routed power to the main door seals?'

The answer came in the form of an almighty _boom_, and the door to the Solar shook. The operatives cried out and scurried to the back of the room.

Another boom, and the door flew open with a crash, smoke billowing into the wide space.

The jet known to Auxo as Starscream moved into the room, his narrowed red optics moving from side to side, taking in the computers, the trembling operatives, and Auxo. Behind him were more Decepticons, fanning out as they entered the Solar. His voice, when he spoke, was a low, menacing rasp.

'Who's in charge here?'

His glare landed on the operatives, huddled together, their silver armour clattering as they shook. 'H… he is!' they squeaked, pointing trembling fingers to Auxo. Starscream wheeled round, and began to stalk towards Auxo, who backed up, raising his servos. 'No… wait… I'm not…'

Starscream pushed him back, slamming him against the wall with one hand. His unforgiving gaze swept the young bot's form disdainfully. 'So, it seems Stritho has cut and run, and all I have to play with is a pathetic protoform. What's your name, soldier?'

'Au… Auxo,' Auxo stammered. 'I'm not a soldier… just a senior clerk bot…'

Starscream raised his free hand to cut him off, and Auxo's mouth shut with a snap. The jet turned to face his men without letting go of the young Lithonian. Auxo watched as a huge blue mech opened his chest cavity, and two small mechs hopped out onto the floor. They seemed vaguely familiar to Auxo, though his frightened processor was whirling so much he couldn't place them.

'Gain access to the main computer and freeze all assets, Frenzy,' ordered Starscream. The small mech nodded and he and his brother headed to the terminal, swinging themselves up to the keyboard, beginning to type rapidly. Starscream turned back to Auxo, one hand still pinning him to the wall.

'Now then, Auxo…'

Suddenly there was a commotion in the doorway, and four members of the Lithonian Guard burst into the room, momentarily taking the Decepticons by surprise. Auxo immediately screamed at them. '_Help me_!'

Starscream didn't even look round. He raised his free arm behind him, and fired his cannon four times. _One. Two. Three. Four_. The guards dropped to the floor one by one, offlined. Auxo's optics grew wide with horror.

Starscream shifted his hand to the young mech's throat, squeezing it tightly. 'I have a problem, Auxo,' he said coldly. 'It seems your master has run off and left _you_ to explain to me why I haven't been getting my repayments as we agreed. And why I receive this…' He produced an energon cube and tipped it upside down. The liquid splashed onto the floor, spattering Auxo's feet. '…Sub-standard, low grade filth that I'm supposed to believe is top energon. So, Auxo… what can you tell me?'

Auxo struggled against the iron grip holding his neck. 'I… don't know anything about that… I swear…'

Starscream rolled his optics, letting out an exasperated sigh. 'One more time, Auxo… I'm not known for my patience…'

Auxo scrabbled at the fist, his fighting instincts, weak as they were, kicking in. He'd bought a recent upgrade with his bonus, a nice little stinger installed in his right wrist. It clicked out of his hide and fired, grazing the jet's face and leaving a gash under his left optic.

That turned out to be a mistake. Starscream flinched and hissed in pain… then he slammed his fist into the side of Auxo's head with the force of a battering ram, stunning him. Auxo crashed to the floor. Above him he heard a deadly whine as a powerful weapon on Starscream's arm began to charge: the infamous Requiem Blaster, the weapon that had allegedly killed his predecessor, Megatron. He curled up, raising his hands pathetically. 'No… no! Please!'

'Skywarp!' Starscream bellowed, his optics glaring down on the stricken young Lithonian. 'Come over here!'

Starscream was joined promptly by his wingmate, who looked at Starscream expectantly. Starscream pointed at the trembling figure at his feet.

'Strip his servo down. Get me that weapon.'

Skywarp knelt down, and using his knee to pin the arm in place, began brutally dismantling the young mech's wrist, tearing away the plating and slicing through wires. Auxo screamed in agony, trying to wriggle away, but Starscream planted a foot on his chest, his arms folded as he watched his brother work.

Skywarp straightened up, opening his palm to show the small, sleek canister, trailing wires. 'Here y'are, Screamer. That's weird. It kinda looks like…'

Starscream leaned in, incredulity on his face. 'That's… one of my designs…' he muttered in disbelief. 'It's still in the testing phase… not even in the main armouries on Cybertron yet… how in Primus' name did this little slagger get hold of one?'

With a growl, he reached down, grabbing the hapless Auxo once more and shaking him mercilessly. 'Where did you get that weapon, you grease stain?' he snarled, bringing the mech's face right up to his own. 'Tell me, before I send you to meet Primus!'

Auxo mouthed silently a few times, struggling to form words through the agony in his arm.

'ANSWER ME!' screamed the jet, his weapons charging once more, the Requiem Blaster pushed into the side of Auxo's face.

'I... I… b… bought it… down in the… the… upgrade markets…' he sobbed. 'It was a legitimate purchase, I swear to Primus…'

'How can you have bought this upgrade on Lithone when it isn't even available to my own men yet?' Starscream asked coldly. Auxo's optics flickered between the enraged Decepticon's face, and the Blaster, still shoved against his head.

'Two mechs… s… sold it to me…'

He was dropped roughly to the floor, landing on his knees. 'Who?' the jet hissed, both arms aimed at the mech, ready to fire. 'Give me names, Litho-scum, and I may yet leave you with a few spare parts.'

Auxo raised his head, looking round wildly. His optics settled on the two casseticons, busy at the main terminal, and with a shriek of recognition he pointed with his good arm. 'Them! It was them! I knew I'd seen them before! I have the records in my data banks, you can check them!' Auxo stabbed his finger once more as the two casseticons slowly turned round, their optics widening in fear, shrinking back. 'They sold it to me!'

* * *

Frenzy shuddered at the memory. It had started so easily a short time back… he and Rumble had lost credits gambling at the arena, and needed to get the money back, fast. He'd hacked into the database containing the armoury catalogues and downloaded specifications for some minor upgrades, selling them on the black market to service mechs and refinery workers. With bated processors, they'd waited for the uproar from Blackout about supplies going missing. But nothing had ever come of it – Frenzy's hacking skills were impressive. And, little by little, they'd become more daring, sneaking stolen Decepticon weapon stock onto trade trips, and slipping into the markets to sell them at a tidy profit. Each time, Frenzy had told himself, was the last time. But then he and Rumble would find themselves low on credit, and it was too easy, too easy, to steal a little bit more.

Frenzy cringed as he recalled Starscream's galactic levels of rage. He'd expected to be slaughtered right there on the spot, but instead he and Rumble had been chained up, and taken back to Cybertron, slung into Darkmount to await trial. Traditionally the leader of the Decepticons gave their subjects the chance to plead for their lives, but Frenzy knew there was little hope of survival. Suddenly the bars to their cell rattled back, and Frenzy spied the feet of Thundercracker, his deep voice rumbling above them.

'Come on, you two. It's time. Don't keep your Lord waiting.'

Rumble strode over to Frenzy, grabbing his brother's arm. 'Remember what I said. Don't speak,' he hissed. Frenzy nodded, his glossa seemed to have jammed, his energon tanks backing up with fear. He wasn't sure he could speak even if he wanted to.

* * *

The circular court room was packed: news of the casseticon's crime had spread through the Decepticon ranks like wildfire. The central platform where the accused stood was usually sunken into the floor, in order to make the guilty mech feel small and intimidated, but at the cassecticon's height of six and a half feet, this wasn't really necessary, and the platform had been raised in order to give everyone a good view. Frenzy looked up briefly as they were pushed onto the platform, stasis cuffs round their wrists. Every seat was filled, and mechs were standing up at the back. The throne, where Starscream would sit, was empty. Frenzy spotted his master, Soundwave, sitting impassively in the front row. Any help from him was unlikely: Soundwave's very core lay in the unshakeable belief in the law. They would not find sympathy or advocacy there. Rumble kept his head down, scowling sullenly. Frenzy wished he had his brother's self control. He felt his knees knock together as the courtroom suddenly got to its feet, Thundercracker taking his place in front of a lectern.

'All hail Lord Starscream.'

'All hail Lord Starscream,' the crowd answered, as the Decepticon leader entered the court.

The brothers kept their heads down as the jet stalked in and took his seat. Frenzy glanced sideways at Rumble, who shot him another warning look: _Keep it together._ He fidgeted in his cuffs, his spark pulsing in his chest so hard he thought it would burst before Starscream got a chance to vaporize him. Thundercracker's voice rumbled overhead once more.

'Rumble and Frenzy. You are accused of stealing from your lord and master, Starscream, with intent to profit from top secret, Decepticon weaponry. You have disgraced the name of Decepticon, and committed treachery of the most vile kind. How do you plea? You may answer guilty, or not guilty. Rumble, you speak first.'

'Guilty,' Rumble muttered sullenly, his optics still fixed on his feet. There was a stir and a collected murmur from the assembled mechs. Starscream said nothing, his optics blazing with silent fury as he beheld the two casseticons below him, hands gripping the armrests on his throne.

Thundercracker didn't react, turning to Frenzy. 'Frenzy. How do you plea?'

Frenzy looked up. 'G… guilty.'

Thundercracker nodded. 'Now… it lies to me to proclaim your sentence, after…'

'…But we're so, so, so, _so_ sorry! We didn't mean it to get this bad, it just started kinda small, you know!' Frenzy burst out, stepping forward. To his right, Rumble's head snapped up. 'Frenzy… _shut up_!'

'We never meant it to go so far, we didn't stop to think about it, we wouldn't ever wanna betray the Decepticon cause!' Frenzy gabbled at top speed, and turned beseechingly to Starscream, his cuffed wrists held out in front of him in desperate appeal. Thundercracker unleashed his ray, blasting the platform right next to Frenzy, who yelped and leapt aside, crashing into Rumble. The two of them fell over, legs entangled, Rumble cursing at his brother repeatedly.

'ON YOUR FEET, AND SHUT YOUR MISERABLE MOUTHS,' Thundercracker boomed. The brothers struggled upright. 'You do not speak to Lord Starscream unless spoken to!'

Frenzy bowed his head, pressing his lip components together, whilst Rumble looked daggers at him. There were grumbles and chuckles from the audience, quickly quietened with a glare from Thundercracker.

'The sentence for such a crime is death, at the hand of your leader,' Thundercracker continued. 'Now, _when you are permitted_, you may plead for mercy from Starscream. Lord Starscream, do you permit these mechs to address you?'

The two casseticons looked up at Starscream. The court was silent. Finally, Starscream nodded. 'Let them address me. I want to know just what they have to say for themselves.'

Thundercracker nodded. 'Rumble, you may speak first.'

Rumble glared at the floor, his wrists twitching in the stasis cuffs. 'I have nothing to say, my Lord,' he muttered quietly.

Starscream raised an eyebrow. 'Nothing? No remorse, no plea for clemency?'

'Obviously I'm sorry for my treachery,' Rumble said. His voice was low, and steady. 'But I'll take whatever punishment I'm due.'

Starscream sat back, seemingly unimpressed. He gestured lazily to Frenzy. 'Frenzy, what about you?'

Frenzy looked up, swallowing hard, staring round at the assembled mechs before setting his optics on Starscream. 'I'm really, really really sorry,' he squeaked. 'Please don't kill me!'

'Eloquently put,' said Starscream drily. 'Why shouldn't I kill you? Actually…' he leaned forward. 'There is another question you can answer first. Whose idea was this in the first place? Hmm? I'm curious.'

Frenzy and Rumble exchanged glances, both reluctant to speak up.

'I find it hard to believe Frenzy would have the gall to think of this by himself,' said Starscream coldly. 'Was it you, Rumble?'

Rumble said nothing, staring at the floor.

'You don't deny it,' said Starscream. The tip of his ray began to glow, building up to its deadliest setting. 'I take that as a confession…'

Frenzy stepped in front of his brother. 'No, Lord!' he cried desperately. 'We are both to blame, I swear it!'

'So I should execute you both, then, is what you are saying?'

'Yes! I mean, no!'

'Rumble has shown me no remorse for his actions,' said Starscream, his optics narrowed to evil slits. 'Why should I spare his life when he will not give me a reason to?'

Frenzy fell to his knees. 'Please, please don't kill my brother,' he mumbled, his head hung low. 'I'll do anything to spare him, anything!'

There was another silence. Frenzy looked up, tense, certain that any klik would be his last as the white-hot ray reduced them both to ashes. Starscream smiled, and leaned forward, his crimson gaze boring into the casseticon's frightened optics.

'Anything, Frenzy?'


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Alexis dabbed the paintbrush into the corner where the wall met the ceiling, tongue between her teeth as she concentrated. One more stroke, and the room was finished. She got down off the stepladder, backing up to admire her handiwork.

With the money paid to her by Starscream, she'd bought a house. Just a small, modest building on the outskirts of London, but it was all hers, and the decorating was almost finished. Six months had passed since the events on Cybertron. She hadn't heard much from Starscream during this time, but tomorrow he would coming back to Earth, hopefully with news on the mysterious Unicron. Starscream would be staying for about a month, and Alexis had played a large part in handling his stay: sitting in lots of tedious meetings with politicians, outlining conditions of his visit. The British government wanted the Decepticon's arrival to be as discreet as possible, so to her great relief they had agreed on no aerial escort. Alexis' unique relationship was proving very useful indeed, and these days she found herself working for the Autobots, occasionally the government, and of course, Starscream. It could be chaotic, but there was no other job she imagined herself doing. Sari now worked full time for the Autobots. Alexis wasn't sure on the specifics, but it seemed to involve handling public appearances and dealing with enquiries from the curious, eager public.

Alexis picked up her cup of tea, sinking onto her new sofa happily, admiring the freshly painted wall. Pleasure at her new home jostled for space in her heart with excitement at Starscream's return. For the first time in ages, her life felt like it contained some kind of order. She was just reflecting on how she hadn't seen Sari in a while, when suddenly her phone rang, She flung several cushions aside, finally locating it to see Sari's name flashing on the screen. She picked up.

'Hey!'

'Want to know what you're doing tonight?' Sari's familiar voice sang down the line. 'I'll tell you. You're putting on your sluttiest outfit and coming with me on a big night out. I haven't seen you in ages! How's everything going for Screamer's visit?'

'Pretty much there,' answered Alexis, balancing the phone on her shoulder as she padded into the kitchen, checking her calendar. "I've just got to be at the base tomorrow night to receive him.'

'But tonight… you're free?' asked Sari, slyly.

'Free as a bird, hun-bun!'

Sari whooped. 'Meet you at seven!'

* * *

_7 pm._

Alexis went to King's Cross to meet Sari, who was armed with a bottle of champagne and two train tickets to Nottingham. 'Why Nottingham?' asked Alexis, as they boarded the train, looking for two seats next to each other.

'Old time's sake.' replied Sari, sliding her huge bag into the luggage rack, pushing a wad of clothes back in where they had spilled out. She was referring to when the girls had studied there together. They took their seats, Sari eagerly tackling the champagne cork. The train started to pull out of the station. 'I booked us into a hotel, thought we could do it all properly.'

'Alright,' said Alexis. 'But I can't get too drunk tonight. I've got to be alert tomorrow for when Starscream comes. I mean it, Sari. So we take it slow. Okay?'

Sari popped the cork, giggling as she hurried to catch the bubbling froth in paper cups. 'Whatever you say, Decepti-girl. Cheers!'

* * *

_9 pm_.

'I'm opening the second bottle!' Alexis yelled from the hotel's bedrooms. She shimmied round the room whilst waiting for the curlers to heat, the music channel at full volume. On the bed, under a pile of clothes, her phone began to buzz. But Alexis couldn't hear it, humming happily as she sloshed drink into two glasses. Sari cheered from the bathroom, wriggling into a pink dress. Alexis seated herself at the dressing table, a smile of anticipation reflecting back at her as she picked up the curlers. 'Where shall we go first?'

* * *

_2 am_.

The club was packed with people, shoulder-to-shoulder on the dance floor. Alexis wove her way through the tightly-packed crowd with two bottles and two shots, passing one of each to her friend. Together they tossed the shots back, clashing their bottles together joyously. The opening bars of an Oasis song suddenly started, and the dance floor emitted a collective roar of delight, four hundred drunken voices shouting along to the lyrics.

"_Slip inside the eye of your miiiind,_

_Don't you know you might fiiiind…._

_A better place to play…"_

'Photo time!' Alexis yelled, digging in her bag for her phone. She dug it out, scrolling through for the camera option, when her blurred vision caught a list of missed calls. She frowned, perplexed. 'One sec',' she mouthed to Sari, and stumbled for the exit, tripping down the stairs and out into the street.

She showed her wristband to a hulking bouncer, and wandered past the queue for the chip shop, scrolling through her call history, the alcohol buzzing in her bloodstream. Nottingham city centre was alive with revelers, drunken shouts mingling with the engines of taxi cabs, still dropping people off.

Starscream had called four times in the past hour. She frowned, wondering what he wanted, when suddenly her phone buzzed to life once more, the Decepticon insignia flashing on screen. She hit the answer button, raising the phone to her ear. 'Starscream! Hi!'

'_Alexis.'_ Starscream's voice had a dangerous edge to it. '_Where are you?'_

'Out with Sari,' she said, her heart rate picking up speed. 'Why? What's up?'

'_Have a guess_,' he growled.

Suddenly an overwhelming panic flooded her, and she grabbed the shirt sleeve of one of the bouncers. 'What day is it? It's Thursday, yes?'

'Friday, love,' he answered cheerfully. 'Well, technically it's Saturday now.'

Friday. Now Saturday. _Shit. Oh shitting shitting shit…_

'You're here,' she said weakly.

'_Correct,_' he said grimly. '_You mean to tell me you've forgotten about my visit?'_

'No, no! Not forgotten! I got my days mixed up! I… um… I'll come right away…'

''_Do you realize I was this close to coming to get you myself if you didn't pick up?_'

Alexis leaned against a wall, feeling faint. 'I don't think there's room for you to land in Nottingham…'

The absurdity of that last sentence suddenly hit her and she let slip a nervous giggle.

'_You think this is funny?_' he rasped, and she winced, biting her lip. 'No, no! I thought it was Thursday… not Friday… I've been so busy, the days blur into one another…'

Sari tottered out into the street on her high heels, handbag swinging from her wrist. 'Ali? Where are you? There you are!' She clacked up to her friend, rolling her eyes. 'Ugh, who are you talking to?'

Before Alexis could stop her, she had plucked the phone from Alexis' hand, raising it to her own ear.

'Hiya', she slurred happily. 'Alexis is on a night out with me, Sari, getting very drunk and eyeing up hot Nottingham men. So fuck off please, and call tomorrow when she's nursing her sore head. Thank you very much. Goodbye!'

She hung up, grinning. Alexis stared at her, frozen in horror.

'What? _What?_ It's not right, government lackeys calling you every hour of the day and ni…'

Her smile slowly slipped, her eyes widening. 'That wasn't the Secretary of State's bitchy PA, was it?'

Alexis shook her head, still frozen in shock. All the colour drained from Sari's face.

'I just told Starscream to fuck off, didn't I,' she said weakly.

Alexis nodded dumbly, but before either of them could dwell on this, a sleek, black Audi pulled up in front of the club, the numberplate read BLK-OUT.

Alexis' phone buzzed once more, the text glaring up at her from the screen.

_GET IN THE CAR._

* * *

The two girls sat rigid in the back seat as Blackout sped them back south – they were heading for the Autobot base in Hertfordshire, north of London. Alexis shut her eyes, leaning her head against the glass of the window and groaning. What a start to Starscream's visit. She'd got the days mixed up, and now she was showing up late, drunk, with her best friend in tow who'd… She moaned again, opening one eye. Blackout was doing one hundred and twenty miles an hour, though in this alt mode you could barely feel it, and Blackout had a clever knack of disabling speed cameras. She wished he would slow down though – it would prolong the amount of time before she had to face one pissed off giant jet. A couple of attempts to make conversation with Blackout had only yielded a few grunts, and disapproving silence. The seatbelts were tight around them, as if pinning them in place.

'It's like being summoned to the headmaster's office,' she said grumpily, trying to tug the seatbelt out so she could breathe better. 'I feel like a naughty schoolgirl.'

Sari looked round, chewing her bottom lip agitatedly. 'Ali… I'm so, so sorry… about the phone…'

She waved a hand dismissively. 'Ah, he'll get over it.' Alexis recalled the sight of Sari's face when she'd realized what she'd done, and let slip a giggle, her shoulders shaking. Sari moaned, running both hands through her hair. 'Ali, don't! It's not funny!'

'It is a little bit funny!' Alexis giggled some more, struggling to catch her breath. 'Oh gosh… his face when you told him to fuck off… I wish I could have seen it… _priceless!_'

Sari gaped at her, then she snorted with laughter, beginning to see the funny side. The two girls howled with laughter, throwing their heads back, tears running down their cheeks as they clung to each other. Suddenly the car dipped sharply down a ramp, turning off the main road.

'We're here,' gasped Alexis. 'Okay… okay… serious face… mustn't laugh…'

They doubled over again, sides aching, as Blackout roared into a soaring, golden hall set deep underground, the floor and walls covered in Autobot glyphs. Alexis wiped her streaming eyes, trying to compose herself. Through the tinted windows she spotted Starscream seated down the far end, in front of a vast table with rungs set into the legs for human access. Around him and behind him were no fewer than fifty Decepticons. Her eyes widened.

'So many of them…'

Blackout slowed to a stop, his engine rumbling. Alexis turned to Sari, whose giggles were subsiding, though she also looked a little sick. 'I really need to pee,' she whispered.

Alexis patted her hair flat. 'Just act sober, okay? Ugh, I'm thirsty. Have you got a drink of water?'

Sari rummaged in her handbag, producing a small bottle of vodka. 'Only this…'

'That'll do.' Alexis took a pull, shaking her head and pulling a face as the alcohol hit her tongue. Sari started to laugh once more, before moaning in dread. 'Can't we just stay in here?'

Blackout answered by opening both doors. Alexis peered out. 'Oh, shit…'

'What? What?' Sari peered over her shoulder, crouching like a rabbit trying to hide from a hungry fox.

'He's drumming his fingers on the table… that's never good…'

The two girls approached the looming table, Sari hopping on one leg as she tried to take off her heels. They climbed the ladder and approached Starscream, who lounged in a huge chair, regarding them through narrowed optics. His gaze moved over the pair of them as they fidgeted sheepishly: Sari's dress had ridden up, showing a ladder in her tights, her heels dangling in one hand. Alexis' make-up had smudged, and her dress strap had slid off one shoulder. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other: her shoes were cramping her toes after all that dancing. Thundercracker stood behind his leader's chair, he gave Alexis a knowing smirk in greeting.

'Hello, Starscream. Um… Sorry we're late.'

'Having fun were you?' he drawled sarcastically. Alexis sighed, passing a hand over her eyes. 'C'mon Starscream, don't be like that. I thought it was tomorrow, I got the days mixed up.'

'Um… Sorry about… uh… the… telling you to… um… fuck off…' Sari's voice was very small as his glare swept over to her. 'I thought you were… someone else…'

To say he looked pissed off was an understatement, but Alexis still felt a rush of happiness as she beheld the familiar, arrogant features. 'I've missed you, Starscream. It's great to see you.'

'You didn't miss me quite enough to remember the precise date of my return though, hmm?'

Sari winced, and the Decepticon hoards exchanged tense glances, but Alexis merely smiled and kicked off her shoes. 'Oh, don't sulk now, aren't you pleased to see me too? Come on, I can tell you all about what I've been doing, and show you pictures of my new house, yeah?'

Starscream looked down amusedly. 'You're drunk, aren't you?'

'What! No!'

Just then a door down the far end slid open, and a voice called out. 'Girls, girls, girls!'

Alexis looked round, her face lighting up. 'Perceptor!'

Perceptor made his way towards them, his arms open wide, seemingly unphased by the hulking Decepticons taking up one end of the room. Sari and Alexis ran to the edge of the table, greeting him happily. He looked down at them with an indulgent smile, his hands resting on the table top. 'Well well well! My scans show me someone has been overloading tonight! Out dancing, hm? Breaking organic hearts? My naughty little sparrows!'

Starscream, unaccustomed to interruptions, began drumming his fingers once more, but Perceptor appeared not to notice. 'Now, I know what you girls like after a night out. Tea and toast, yes?'

'Yes please!'

'Jam or marmalade?' he asked.

'Jam,' they chirped in unison. 'Is there any of Prowl's strawberry batch left from last summer?'

'I'll have a look.' Perceptor turned to leave, humming a tune.

'And Perceptor, can you bring my pyjamas out here, please?' Sari asked, beginning to take the pins out of her hair.

Alexis brightened. 'Ooh, and I'll have mine too, there should be some in my rooms! Have a look under the pillow or in the tall cupboard!'

* * *

Perceptor brought out the tea and toast, as well as a screen which he put up to give the girls some privacy whilst they changed. When that was done, they settled themselves on the table-top before Starscream, still flanked by his silent subjects, watching with an air of anticipation. Alexis lifted her warm mug in both hands. Despite her ample time spent around the Decepticons, she found the presence of so many of them unusual, and slightly off-putting… why were they all here? She stared at them quizzically, but Starscream didn't venture an explanation.

'So… how's your week been?'

Starscream tilted his head. 'My week?'

'Yeah, what have you been up to?'

He blinked a couple of times. 'I conquered a planet.'

She leaned forward incredulously. 'Come again?'

'I conquered Lithone,' he replied calmly. 'I had to seize control of all assets, they fell behind in their debts. And sent me sub-grade energon shipments. So, I ordered a takeover. Soundwave is in charge now, supervising the management of their refineries. The whole planet was run by half-wits.'

Alexis exhaled slowly, shaking her head. 'Will you release the planet when you've got the repayments?'

'Haven't decided yet,' said Starscream languidly, inspecting his null ray. 'But I didn't come here to bore you with such affairs, my dear. Tomorrow you'll get your proper briefing, concerning my findings about Unicron.'

Alexis sat up straight, suddenly alert. 'You've found something? Can't I hear now?'

'No,' he replied calmly, with a hint of a smile. 'That can wait until tomorrow, when you're refreshed. But tonight I thought I'd tell you a story.'

'A story?'

He nodded. 'Concerning a young man, back in 1985, called Spike.'

'Spike Witwicky!' Sari interrupted, her expression excited.

Alexis turned to her friend. 'You know this person?'

'I know _of_ him, yeah! He's like a legend!' Sari said, her eyes shining. 'He was…'

But she caught sight of Starscream's expression and tailed off. 'You were saying…' she said meekly.

'Thank you,' said Starscream, his voice dripping with with mock gratitude.

'Thirty years back, when we arrived on Earth, we concentrated our efforts in and around the United States of America, plundering their energy resources.'

Alexis listened, fascinated. Starscream wasn't usually one for anecdotes, this was rare. She took another sip of tea, it was having the desired effect, and she was sobering up.

'… At that time, obviously, the… Autobots…' he growled the name, struggling to contain his hostility '…were bent on inconveniencing us at every turn. Amongst their rank was a young human, Spike.

'I never had much to do with him. As you know I regard humans as little more than vermin, particularly back then. One day, whilst we were fighting the Autobots, he foolishly strayed into the path of Megatron's gunfire. He was injured, almost fatally. His father, a genius in the field of electronics, had been experimenting at the time, with Autobot body parts. To cut a long story short, the Autobots found a way to put Spike's mind into an autobot body whilst his human shell recovered in a deep coma.'

Alexis' piece of toast had gone cold in her hand, forgotten about, as she looked up, her mouth open. 'What happened… did it work?'

Starscream nodded. 'It was a unmitigated success.'

'Well, sort of.' Perceptor had joined the table, leaning his elbows on it. Starscream glared at yet another interruption to his story. Perceptor regarded the two girls, his expression serious. 'Young Spike was successfully transplanted… but mentally traumatized. He was so badly injured there was no way we could consult with him before we carried out the procedure. His father gave the go-ahead, but when Spike woke up in an Autobot form, he fled the base, confused and extremely unstable. He felt like a misfit, a monster.'

'Megatron took advantage of Spike's emotional turmoil to use him as a pawn against the Autobots,' continued Starscream. 'And he almost succeeded, though it was a risky, slip-shod plan from the start. There were side effects to the operation that left Spike extremely open to suggestion, yet volatile and unpredicatable. The plan failed, and Spike was returned to his own body once the extensive healing was complete. And it was lucky for him that things worked out that way: Megatron planned to execute him once he had outlived his usefulness.'

'Where is he now?' asked Alexis, hugging her knees. Starscream shrugged.

'Retired, keeps in touch with the Autobots via Christmas cards,' chipped in Sari. 'Expecting his second grandchild, I believe. I've only met him once, very briefly. Bumblebee says he prefers not to talk about that particular episode. It's so disappointing… I'd love to know more about it.'

'I hadn't given it a second thought since it happened,' said Starsceram, leaning forward. 'Until what happened in stasis on Cybertron… I assume you have told Sari about that?'

He was referring to when he had gone down into deep stasis to retrieve Alexis' personality, which had remained trapped inside his circuitry after her battle against the mysterious Betagon entity. Alexis had appeared to Starscream in the form of a femme, a female transformer. The girls exchanged glances, and nodded. Alexis suddenly had an unpleasant hunch that she knew where this conversation was going. 'You're not seriously suggesting…'

'Just think of it,' Starscream said, his optics glowing eagerly. 'Your mind… in the body of a transformer! Stronger, faster… able to move at incredible speed, with such power… I can't believe it never occurred to me before!'

Alexis' mind whirled, and she exclaimed 'No way!' the exact second Sari squealed: 'Wow, amazing!'

Alexis turned to Sari in disbelief. '_What?_ You're serious?'

'Are you kidding? I've talked about it loads with Bumblebee,' said Sari, gesturing with her piece of toast excitedly. 'I first heard the story about Spike about a year ago, and I haven't been able to get it out of my head since. Bumblebee, Perceptor and I have gathered what little research we can from Spike's procedure, but there are so many gaps…' she sighed. 'Spike's dad destroyed a lot of it. I'd give anything to find out more. Prime doesn't approve of my interest in it, of course, he says it's unhealthy… I think it's the future!'

Starscream sat back in his chair, Alexis watching his expression as Sari spoke. He'd always regarded Sari with contempt, nay, downright hostility, but she spotted a glimmer of calculating respect on his face as he watched her. As Alexis looked up, he turned to look at her, raising his brow as if to say: Well?

Alexis twisted her fingers together, anxiously. 'It sounds like a really scary procedure,' she muttered. 'And anyway Starscream, you might view our organic bodies as… second rate, but I'm fond of mine! I'm a human!

'Besides,' she continued, 'You're talking about something that was done thirty years ago, just the once, with dangerous side effects.'

'You're forgetting you survived your little jaunt into my circuitry just fine,' he replied casually. 'Besides, I've been conducting my own research these last Earth months.' Sari looked up eagerly. 'I'm very confident I have the… issues ironed out. I can't say I find your reaction surprising, Alexis. But I wanted to give you the chance to think on it… the potential!'

He leaned forward. 'What's more, tomorrow you may take a different view. What I propose will involve a journey further than you or I have ever been, deep into the unknown. A transformer shell could serve you well, protect you from basic dangers…'

'Too risky, Starscream,' she said firmly. 'I'm not risking my life for a wild idea of yours. You may view it as a flippant little upgrade, but you don't know what you're asking of me – to change species… to go from breathing air to processing energon! I don't even know how I would begin to adapt! And anyway, this whole conversation is irrelevant, the process hasn't been tested for thirty years. And I don't know how you could ever conduct reliable tests. It's an ethical minefield.'

He frowned. 'A _what_ minefield? My translator can't find an equivalent in my dialect database…'

She sighed, pouring herself another cup of tea. 'Ethical, Starscream. It means considering the _moral implications_ of something before you do it!'

He grinned devilishly. 'No wonder we don't have a word for it…'

'And you happen to be wrong,' he continued above her head. 'I have conducted tests. Well, test, to be exact. I have the perfect candidate.'

All around him, his mechs exchanged glances and grins. Sari and Alexis looked up, perplexed. 'What do you mean?'

Starscream held up a hand, his glowing optics fixed on the girls. 'Bring it in…'

Skywarp emerged from the back of the crowd, holding a dark container the size of a small shed. Alexis' heart began to flutter unpleasantly. Beside her, Sari gripped her arm, holding her breath.

Skywarp lifted the lid, and tipped a man out onto the table top. The Decepticons began to crowd round the table, and soon the three humans were surrounded by a wall of sniggering, towering mechs. Now Alexis knew why they had all come.

Starscream smiled maliciously as the young man rolled to a stop, shivering on his knees, looking around him in abject terror. He looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties, with a slightly Italian complexion, and dark curly hair. He was slim, and probably about six feet when standing. He wore baggy sweatpants on his bottom half, with a bare chest and nothing on his feet. Under normal circumstances, Alexis would have described him as good looking. But his eyes were bloodshot, his skin clammy with cold sweat. A mixture of tears and snot covered his face, and he was shivering violently as if in shock. The girls stared at him, momentarily stunned, as he let out a low moan of pure animal fear and clutched his head, rocking back and forth violently.

The ring of Decepticons had started to laugh, low at first, then building to a jeering roar, pointing at the pathetic figure cowering next to the young women. Starscream wore a look of immense satisfaction, drinking in the spectacle before him. Eventually, Alexis found her voice.

'Starscream. _What have you done?_ Where did you get this man? You need to return him to wherever you snatched him from, _right now_!'

Starscream let out a loud laugh, and the man curled up tighter, as if trying to disappear altogether. 'No, no, Alexis. You have it wrong. This one volunteered for my experiment.'

'Volunteered?' Alexis got to her feet, gesturing to the hunched figure. 'He doesn't look like a volunteer to me!'

'It's true. He volunteered.'

Starscream loomed over them, prodding the man with his fingertip, trying to uncurl him as he tried to shuffle back.

'Isn't that right, Frenzy?'

* * *

A/N: If you haven't seen the G1 episode Autobot Spike, look it up on Youtube. I hope you enjoyed chapter 2 :-) please comment or review if you have time :-)


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Ta-da! Chapter three! Thank you to all who reviewed so far!

Chapter 3

Alexis and Sari knelt, frozen in shock, as Starscream laughed louder, prodding the man, working his finger under his chin and forcing it up. She couldn't process the unbelievable revelation: that the kneeling human before her was her Decepticon friend. It had to be a trick! And yet… there was something about the way the man moved… the way he clenched his fists and stared about him wildly, the chest rising and falling at speed… that mirrored the nervous energy of Frenzy. Almost deafened by the jeers and roars of the assembled cons, Alexis scooted forward. She tentatively laid a hand on Frenzy's back, feeling the cold yet moistened surface of his skin. At her touch he flinched and she withdrew her hand hastily. 'Frenzy… _is that really you in there?_'

He turned his head and stared at her. In his eyes was the look of someone that was in hell - their own personal hell. He opened his mouth a few times, trying to say something. A thin line of drool fell onto the table top, and fresh tears streamed down his face. 'My… m… m…'

'It's alright, take your time,' she said gently, laying a hand on his back again. 'I'm here.'

'My mouth….' he whispered, shaking so violently she could feel the tremors going up her own arm. 'My mouth keeps… filling up with w…water…'

'That's normal,' she replied softly, 'It's alright Frenzy… you really are Frenzy? Just nod your head for yes.'

He nodded, shutting his eyes tight and beginning to rock once more. Sari had slid around the other side of him, and was digging around in her bag for a tissue. Once she found one, she reached out to steady him, wiping his face tenderly.

Starscream sat back, grinning, watching the two girls trying to comfort the trembling human version of Frenzy. The experiment could not have gone better! If it had worked one way, it would surely work the other way. As the laughter of his men finally subsided somewhat, he watched Alexis look up at him, both hands on the sobbing Frenzy's shoulders.

'Please put him back,' she said, her eyes locked on his, beseechingly.

Starscream loved nothing more than pleading, which was why Alexis made a point of never doing it. She must be greatly affected by Frenzy's new state to abandon her pride like this, he reflected. He felt a rush of power as he regarded the three humans before him. It must have shown on his face, because she sighed in exasperation, yet she tried again. 'Please, Starscream. Look at him! He's traumatized!'

'But alive,' he growled back. 'Frenzy did something very, very stupid, something that earned he and his dear brother the death penalty. This little experiment was going to be carried out on one of my new Lithonian subjects, but Frenzy offered to buy his brother's life with his participation. Such devotion to his sibling. What a pity he did not show the same devotion to his ruler when he decided to steal from me.'

'Where's Rumble?'

'In Darkmount,' he replied in an offhand way. 'Which is where he will stay until I say otherwise.'

'Look, you've done the experiment, okay, it works! Why not let Frenzy back into his transformer body now? Please?'

At her side, Frenzy's hand found her wrist and grabbed it tight in silent gratitude. But Starscream emitted a low, evil chuckle, shaking his head. Alexis growled in frustration. They were getting nowhere, this kind of thing was meat and drink to Starscream, she knew he was enjoying every minute. She turned back to Frenzy. Sari had wiped his face clean, but now she simply stared at the shivering man beside her, stunned. Something occurred to Alexis and she looked back up. 'Where'd you get the human body?'

'Ah! I was wondering when you would ask that. He was a young Italian stockbroker, fond of making money, fast cars, and partying. Suffered a drug overdose one night last month whilst celebrating his spark-date in Rome. His body needed some repair work, but nothing impossible, and I had a few of my companies out there on the look-out for a suitable human shell.'

'Companies? You own companies on Earth?'

'As I said before, there's no need to bore you with my affairs, Alexis,' he said, examining his null ray and looking pleased with himself. 'Suffice to say I managed to obtain this body, and after some… maintenance, it was ready for Frenzy to move in.'

Sari gaped up at the jet, her eyes full of wonder. 'If you shared just a tenth of your knowledge with us here on Earth… imagine what we could do…'

'Don't encourage him, Sari,' said Alexis darkly. 'His ego's big enough as it is.'

She turned back to Frenzy. 'Frenzy, move your legs out from under you so you don't get cramp,' she said. 'Sari, help me…'

They managed to swing Frenzy's legs round so that he sat on his rear. Alexis turned round. 'Perceptor! Bring a blanket over here!' As Perceptor silently obliged, she wrapped it round her friend. 'Sari and I are going to look after you, Frenzy, okay?' she said gently. Frenzy turned to stare at her, now that Sari had wiped his face she could see that the man whose body he occupied had been handsome. As fresh tears fell down his cheeks, she gave him an encouraging smile. 'You look terrific, Frenzy.'

His eyes opened wide, caught off guard. His mouth moved again, and he managed to speak once more, clearly finding his new tongue challenging.

'You… think so?'

On his other side, Sari nodded warmly. 'She's right! We'll take care of you, you'll be at home in that new body in no time. Welcome to the humanity club, best club there is!'

Alexis go to her feet. 'Frenzy can come with us to the human quarters on the base tonight,' she said to Starscream firmly. Starscream's grin vanished, and he leaned down, growling menacingly.

'Oh, is that so? And since when do you decide where my Decepticons rest?' His huge digit descended once more, and Frenzy yelled in fright, scrabbling back. He seemed so much more fearful in this new body - Alexis guessed his new fleshy shell made him feel much more vulnerable. Starscream's optics narrowed.

'I think Frenzy can spend the night with his comrades, as he usually would…'

The Decepticons began to jeer once more, some of them hitting their palms with a fist, as if anticipating playing rough with Frenzy in his new form. Frenzy shook his head, grabbing Sari tightly. 'N… no! Please my Lord, let me stay with the fleshies!'

Suddenly Sari got to her feet, her fists balled, eyes blazing in anger. 'You're nothing but a… a… a _big bully_!' she yelled at Starscream, her feet planted wide apart. Starscream growled, withdrawing his hand and forming a fist. '_What did you say?'_

'You heard!'

Alexis bit her lip, leaning over to Sari and tugging the sleeve of her pyjamas. 'Sari! Don't!'

But Sari shook Alexis' hand away, her fists still clenched. 'Why don't you give him a break, hey? He's being very brave! Haven't you punished him enough? Or are you just _scared_ that too much time with Alexis and I will help Frenzy enjoy his stay with us? Jealous, Starscream?'

Starscream gaped at her, then he emitted a deafening manic laugh, throwing his head back. 'Jealous? JEALOUS? How could I ever be jealous of a weak, pathetic human? And, in case you haven't noticed, Sari, Frenzy hasn't even mastered the use of his limbs! I seriously doubt that he will enjoy his time in human form! It's the _perfect punishment_!'

'Oh yeah? Well, I bet you I can help Frenzy become a convincing human!'

Alexis groaned and covered her eyes. 'Oh no…'

Starscream leant right down, his face almost touching Sari, who was forced to back away. 'Oh, you _bet_ me, do you, little Sari? Well, how about we make it _interesting_ then, hmm?'

'What do you mean?' asked Sari, who for the first time began to look unsure. Alexis hurried to her friend's side, blinking in the bright light of Starscream's optics. 'He doesn't mean anything, Sari, no one's betting anyone anything!'

Starscream ignored her, a demonic grin stretching across his face. 'I bet you that you can't successfully integrate Frenzy into the human race. If I lose, Frenzy can return to his decepticon form, _and_ what's more: I will pass over all of my research on personality cross-over to Perceptor here, for you to use as you like.'

He straightened up. Sari's mouth fell open. 'Seriously?' she whispered.

'Seriously,' he repeated, folding his arms. 'And now, if _you_ should lose… let me see…'

He pretended to think, tapping his chin with one long finger. Alexis bit her lip, running both hands through her hair. 'Don't do it, Sari…'

'Ah… I have a fitting forfeit.' He grinned even wider, flexing his fingers. 'Six months incarceration at my fortress on Cybertron. I'll put you in a pretty bird cage for everyone to gawp at, and set you tasks to perform as I see fit. If you agree, sign here...' Skywarp passed him a data pad, which he lowered to the young woman. 'Know that if you sign this, and lose the bet, you will be beholden to your half of the bargain, and not even the auto-brats will be able to get you out of it.'

Sari stared at the datapad for a few seconds. A row of Cybertronian characters flickered across the top, re-arranging themselves into English: '_Lord Starscream_'.

'You place your hand-print below my signature,' said Starscream smoothly.

Alexis shook her head. 'Sari, _don't_!'

She watched her friend hesitate… then with a scowl, Sari rammed her hand onto the pad, leaving a glowing impression of her palm on the screen.

'Excellent!' said Starscream briskly, pulling the datapad up out if reach. He examined the little palm print, grinning deviously, then stowed it away into his circuitry with a few deft clicks. With a jerk of his head, he gestured to the Decepticons, who began to file out..

'Well, well, well. What an interesting evening this has been. Good night, girls. Alexis, be ready for your briefing tomorrow. As for you Sari…' he smiled evilly. 'You've got three weeks before we depart for Cybertron to turn Frenzy here into a convincing human.'

Sari glared up at Starscream, before joining Alexis, who had her hands under Frenzy's arm, helping him to his feet. As they let go, he staggered, and they had to swoop in to stop him from falling. Starscream let out another mocking laugh. 'Good luck, ' he hissed gloatingly. 'You only have to start with the basics: helping Frenzy to walk and talk. How long does that usually take humans to learn? Eighteen months, isn't it? I hope you like heights, Sari. You'll learn to, with what I have planned for you.'

* * *

Sari and Alexis eventually reached the human quarters. It wasn't far, in fact it was in the same enormous room they had just been in. But Frenzy was in a state of semi-collapse and the girls had to half carry, half drag him along.

In the days of the Decepticon occupation of Earth, this secret Autobot base had served as a refuge for humans fleeing from Megatron. Back then, a medic bay had been built that was completely human-sized, with one Autobot quirk: the ceilings were detatchable – the wounded humans had privacy to recover in their beds, but in an emergency Ratchet could remove the ceiling and step into the bay if need be. These days it served as living quarters for any humans visiting the base, with a kitchen, TV area, and bedrooms. Sari and Alexis both had bedrooms here. They found an empty room for Frenzy, and set him on the bed. The two of him showed him how to lift the sheets back and crawl in between them in order to sleep. It was heartbreaking to watch him stare at a clean set of pyjamas, a toothbrush, a glass of water, as if he'd never seen them before. Sari shared a hopeless glance at Alexis: it was now five 'o' clock in the morning and they were both exhausted, but it was clear that he couldn't be left alone.

'Do you want to come to my room, sleep there?' asked Sari kindly. Frenzy nodded gratefully. 'Come on then...'

Two minutes later and they were seated on Sari's double bed. Frenzy sat with his head against the wall, staring around at Sari's jumble of possessions, the walls covered with posters of David Bowie. There was a kitchen unit in each bedroom and Alexis put the kettle on, yawning.

'Sari, I can't believe you made a bet with Starscream,' she said, leaning against the wall as she got the tea ready. She looked over at Frenzy. 'Frenzy, buddy, we'll cover eating and drinking tomorrow, okay?'

Frenzy nodded, nervously.

Sari growled, picking up a pillow and hugging it tight. 'I'm gonna show him,' she hissed. 'He thinks he's so big!'

'He _is_ big!' Alexis pointed out with a laugh. She brought two mugs of hot tea over, passing one to her friend. 'You do know he will carry out that cage threat he made if you lose? I've never won a bet with Starscream, not ever. Once I bet him that he couldn't fly a circuit of Kaon without breaking a box of eggs I put in his cockpit. He won, and I had to clean out all the refinery equipment for a month.' Her nose wrinkled at the memory, and Frenzy let out a shaky laugh.

Sari took a sip of her drink. 'We'll see. Starscream will be laughing on the other side of his face soon enough. So, Frenzy, how are you enjoying your new body so far?'

Frenzy licked his lips anxiously. 'It's so weird… and I don't like how wet everything is! Inside your mouth, your eyeballs, your skin… I had to… you know… use the bathroom, as you humans say, on the way here! GROSS!'

Alexis laughed, despite trying not to as he turned to her. 'Sorry, Frenzy… that'll take some getting used to, but you'll get there!'

'And there's something else,' he gabbled, his eyes wide, sweat beading his forehead. He got off the bed, staggering slightly. 'Starscream said this body was all fixed up, but he's wrong, there's something really, really wrong with it! Like… a growth, a cancer, or something, whatever you call it!'

And before either of them could stop him, he pulled his sweat pants down, exposing his penis. Sari squealed in shock and raised the pillow to cover her face, whilst Alexis gasped, covering her eyes.

Frenzy misread their reactions, grabbing his organ in one hand. 'I know!' he wailed. 'Isn't it terrible? Do you think it's an infection, or something?' But he tailed off, as both girls began to laugh, giggling helplessly. 'What… what is it?'

'Pull your pants back up, Frenzy,' gasped Alexis, wiping her eyes. He did as she said, confused. 'What? Is it normal?'

'What, showing it to your friends? No, Frenzy, that's not normal!'

'But… it's not a growth, not a cancer?'

Sari lowered the pillow, her face crimson. 'Nope, it's all fine. More than fine actually, it's quite impressive!'

Alexis shot her a stern look, though she was still fighting giggles herself. 'Sari!'

'Sorry...'

Alexis put a hand on his shoulder, still trying not to laugh. 'There's a lot you have to learn, Frenzy, but it's really late, in fact it's nearly morning. How about we get some sleep now? You want to hop in the bed with us, top and tail?'

He nodded, apprehensive. 'How… how do you breathe when you sleep?'

'Huh?' She stared at him, non-plussed for a moment. 'You just… do, Frenzy. You fall asleep, and your body keeps everything ticking over for you.'

He eyed her, shivering, 'You promise?'

'Cross my heart. Come on.'

* * *

The Autobot base was quiet. Across the country, day dawned, just as the girls and Frenzy managed to fall asleep. Throughout the huge halls, there was silence as the various mechs found a place to recharge. The only one awake was Starscream, who stalked the halls alone, a frown creasing his forehead, feet clicking on the tiled floor. His infrared picked out three vivid shapes and he swung his head, his gaze finding the cluster of human quarters in the corner of the main hall. He approached, silent despite his size, and spied the seals that held the ceilings in place.

There was only the smallest clunk as his fingers deftly opened them.

He lifted the ceiling, his red optics illuminating an untidy bedroom, strewn with clothes, magazines, coffee cups and other meaningless human accoutrements. In the middle, on the bed, three humans lay, on their sides, their chests rising and falling under the blanket. He spied Sari's black hair tumbling over the cover, then a pale face of a young man, his mouth open, arms and legs splayed awkwardly. Next to him was Alexis, her knees curled up next to her body, hands tucked under her chin, her face peaceful.

He stared at them for some time, his optics glowing, his expression inscrutable, before replacing the ceiling.

* * *

Hope you enjoyed this. I've finally got round to watching Transformers: Prime, took me long enough didn't it? It has eaten up my life ever since, can't... stop... watching! As ever please leave feedback. :-)


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I've been touched by the response so far to this story, I'm glad people are enjoying it and I love reading people's feedback! As long as time and inspiration permit, I'll try to keep updating regularly. Hugs again, enjoy the latest chapter. :-)

* * *

Chapter 4

The alarm rang throughout the base at 7.30, and Alexis rolled over, groaning and clutching blindly for a pillow, ramming it over her head. 'Go away, go away, go away…'

Beside her, Frenzy shot upright with a gasp, clutching at his chest, his dark hair sticking up in all directions. He took in the room, looked down at himself, and sank back onto the pillows with a moan of despair, his current predicament coming back to him.

_All Decepticons report to Main Hall. All Decepticons report to Main Hall… _

Sari raised her head blearily. 'Ugh, what about non-Decepticons? Don't they deserve a lie-in? It's _Saturday_!'

Alexis sat up, feeling exhausted – she'd only had about two hour's sleep, not helped by sharing a bed with two other people, one of whom hadn't mastered control of his body just yet. Alexis had been whacked twice by Frenzy in the night as he tossed and turned.

She stumbled into her own room, pulling out a set of clothes, before running to her bathroom for a quick wash. She stared at her hair in the mirror, grimacing and running her hands through it, before giving up, flicking the switch on the kettle with a yawn…

* * *

Five minutes later she emerged from the human quarters, clutching a mug of tea and a banana from the stores. The 'cons were all lined up, waiting for Starscream to address them. She hurried to the end of the line, waving to Thundercracker, who was overseeing the assembly, and joined Skywarp, stifling another yawn. The purple wingbrother looked down at the tired human girl next to his foot.

''Morning,' he boomed affably. 'You look like shit.'

'What, I look like you?' she replied grumpily, trying to steady her cup with one hand, pulling on the banana skin with the other.

'Oh! Funny!' he chuckled, folding his arms and grinning. 'How's our little human experiment this morning?'

'He's doing fine, thank you…'

Skywarp opened his mouth to reply, but suddenly the assembly was silent, as Starscream entered the hall, shaking the floor beneath his weight. The Decepticons stood rigidly to attention as their leader stopped next to Thundercracker, consulting an offered datapad briefly, before nodding and passing it back to his second in command.

'My Decepticons,' he said, his hands linked behind his back as he paced before them. 'Following the recent quelled Insecticon uprising, we are close to completing our space bridge, which will allow us to get to the bottom of the Betagon contamination on Cybertron. We only await certain components, found here on Earth. Now, the conditions of our stay mean that we must wait here for the parts to be delivered to us…' he broke off as a sullen muttering arose amongst the ranks. '…although we are not accustomed to following orders from the Earth creatures, or the… autobots…' - that last word came as a snarl - '…I suggest we allow them to expend their energy waiting on us, if that is how they want it.'

The sullen muttering changed to satisfied sniggering, and Alexis raised her eyebrows, swallowing the last piece of banana. Nicely played, she thought. Anything to keep the 'cons tucked away on the base… easier if they thought they were being tended to by their rivals… Far behind her, something clattered to the floor, and Alexis glanced over her shoulder. A dark doorway leading the stores and armouries was empty and silent, yet Alexis felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. Was someone listening in on the morning briefing…?

Above her, Starscream had continued his speech. She looked back round, shrugging.

'…Meanwhile, I want full armour and weaponry diagnostics carried out, to be ready by the time we travel. The rest of your time will be given to training, research projects: handled by Thundercracker, and… Base duty, overseen by Skywarp.'

There was another collective groan, Alexis joining in. Base duty encompassed cleaning, maintenance, and other menial tasks that had to be done on any large transformer structure, be it Decepticon or Autobot. That had been another condition of their stay. Starscream whipped round, delivering a glare to his troops, and the groans fell silent.

'Does anyone have any complaints?' he enquired softly.

'No, Lord Starscream!' the group replied in unison.

He surveyed them all for a moment, before nodding. 'Dismissed.'

The mechs began to leave through various doorways, the feet clashing on the floor. Starscream beckoned with a finger.

'Alexis. Come with me.'

* * *

She joined him up on the main table, rubbing her face tiredly. The Decepticons had all gone about their tasks, save for Thundercracker, who had spread out various datapads, scrutinising them closely. Starscream seated himself, leaning back with a full container of energon in one hand, watching her with a half smile.

'Have you been keeping well since I last saw you?'

She nodded, smiling. 'I bought a house. With the salary you paid me.'

'So I hear. And you are recovered from our… adventures on Cybertron?'

She nodded again, tucking her arms into her sleeves. 'Right as rain.'

'Good. Because if you are willing, I fear we are about to be plunged into an even greater adventure.'

She leaned forward. 'What have you learnt about Unicron?'

'Much. And yet, not enough.' He turned, tapping the console with his finger, and the vast wall-mounted screen sprang to life, momentarily blinding her. As her eyes adjusted, she saw a slowly spinning map containing billions of stars. Alexis' astronomy knowledge was vague, but she hazarded a guess. 'The Milky Way?' she said hesitantly.

Starscream nodded. 'Correct. This is your solar system.' - he pointed with a finger. 'And this…' - the digit swung to other side of the diagram - '…is Cybertron. Here…' he pointed further out still, to the very edge of the galaxy - 'is a new planet. Unicron.'

She peered at the area Starscream was gesturing to, frowning in confusion. 'New? You guys have been around for millennia, I thought you'd know the Milky Way inside out by now?'

'And so we do,' he agreed, nodding. 'Legend says that Unicron is a drifting planet, showing up in different spots across the ages, sometimes in different galaxies altogether. There would have been more information in the archives on Cybertron, but such knowledge was lost during the wars. I have had to go further afield in my search.'

'Where?'

'I found information on Lithone, as it happens. Not just in their data libraries, but from the Lithonians themselves. Some of it is legend, rumour. I kept a note of it nevertheless, for rumours often have a basis in truth. News of Unicron has spread across the galaxy, with those who have the means traveling there to see it for themselves. Some of the higher orders hoped to go there, as a means of clearing their debt.' Starscream smiled grimly. 'They were too late.'

'Did you meet anyone who has been to Unicron?'

'Only one,' said Starscream. 'A lone scout. I tracked him down on one of Lithone's moons. He was a veritable mine of information. Unicron is a vast planet, consisting of several layers, leading from crust to core. It is lawless, in that is has no ruling class to speak of, rather, it is a free-for-all for any who can make it there. Saying that, there _is_ a structure, of sorts, a haphazard society made of many different species, trading and aiding one another, albeit with varied levels of co-operation.'

'You said the Lithonians wanted to go there to clear their debt,' said Alexis, leaning forward. 'What do you mean?'

'According to my sources, Unicron is a huge goldmine of minerals, a groaning buffet table of every resource you can think of,' said Starscream. 'Energon… coal, gas, silver, gold, soils, jewels… even water and organic matter.'

'Could such a planet exist?' asked Alexis, her eyes wide.

Starscream smiled shrewdly. 'You're sitting on such a planet right now.'

Alexis leaned back, surprised. 'Earth?'

Starscream nodded. 'Megatron always watched Earth with jealous optics. Its mineral worth is staggering.'

Alexis shivered. 'What's your plan?'

'To go to Unicron, discover the source of the Betagon that poisoned me, to find its maker. But I think it prudent we go under a guise of mining its resources, like all others who go there.'

'Where do I come in?'

Starscream regarded her for a few moments. 'That is entirely up to you.'

'What do you mean? I want to go!'

'I never thought otherwise,' said Starscream. 'The real question is… what shape you propose to go in.'

Alexis inhaled slowly, her heart thudding in her chest. Starscream watched her carefully.

'I haven't forgotten what I saw in stasis,' he said quietly. 'What you could be, Alexis. The technology is in my grasp now.'

'I can't,' she said hopelessly, wondering if he was going to be angry at her reaction. 'It's not as easy as just saying yes. Do you understand that?'

He was silent, as if processing her response. She pressed on:

'It makes me feel afraid, leaving my body behind. I'm a human, I was born a human… I know how you feel about my race! I know you regard humans with contempt, don't deny it! But… I thought with me you saw past my physical form? Haven't I proved my worth to you, multiple times?'

'Your worth has not been called into question,' he answered. 'But we are journeying to an unknown place, a place where I may not hold sway, and I can't guarantee your safety.'

'When has my safety _ever_ been guaranteed with you?'

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. 'I think in time you may come to change your view, Alexis. I am going to take the necessary equipment to carry out the procedure, and your designated protoform, aboard my ship. In the event you change your mind.'

Her mouth fell open. 'I have a protoform?'

He nodded. 'Yes. I recently proto-formed some new soldiers to swell my ranks, and one has been reserved. For you.'

'Okay… okay… she held up her hands.' I don't… I can't talk about this any more. It's too much. What will you say if I propose accompanying you as myself?'

His expression became grim. 'That is the alternative. But I'm warning you Alexis, it will not be an easy alternative.'

'I'm listening.'

He sat back, idly spinning his empty energon cup. 'Unicron, like many worlds, operates via a system based on slavery.'

She looked up, unpleasant anticipation stirring. 'So…?'

'I have heard a rumour… and _don't_ get worked up, because it is _only_ a rumour… that there are humans amongst the slave ranks on Unicron.'

Alexis' eyes widened in shock. 'What?'

He leant forward. 'Alexis, like it or not, humans are regarded as little more than slaves, or at best, novelty pets, throughout the galaxy. If you come with me to Unicron, and if we are to maintain the charade with which to carry out our mission, you will need to take on the rank of slave. You will not be able to assume your rank as Decepticon soldier. Do you understand?'

She stared up at him, taking it all in. 'Yes. But where did the human slaves come from? Earth?'

He sat back, his mouth compressed in a grim line. 'I don't know, and frankly, I don't care. I am not happy about this. This is _not_ what I want. But if you are set in your resolve to retain your human shape, this is how it must be. I suppose it may be useful to have a spy at the lowest level, and I will do my best to ensure your basic safety, but you will have to assume that rank wholeheartedly. You and I will have our parts to play: Slave and Master. And it will not be pleasant for you.'

She laughed dryly. 'Well, it's not like I haven't had practise being your slave, is it?'

He raised an eyebrow. 'Indeed. But these days I have higher hopes for you, Alexis. It disappoints me that you do not rise to those hopes.'

She felt a stab of hurt in her chest. 'Why do you place value on what you think I _could_ be, rather then what I've done?'

He leaned towards her. 'Why do _you_ turn down the chance to assume a higher, more powerful form?'

'This form has stood me in good stead so far,' she replied firmly, meeting his stare. 'That day you captured me and threw me into your service, how long did you expect me to last? One day? Two? Yet here I stand!'

'You have a resilience I have come to respect,' he muttered. 'I will give you that. And I'm sure you will survive the harsh conditions awaiting you on Unicron, if that is the path you choose. I do not wish to argue with you about this. Your training from hereon out will be tailored to this choice.'

He handed a data pad to her. 'This is your programme for the next three weeks. It includes individual training, some circuitry testing, and your base duties, as well as notes on Unicron I expect you to become familiar with.'

'Thank you, Starscream.' She took it, looking up at the jet, feeling unhappy about parting after such an exchange. 'I'm… sorry if my decision disappoints you.'

Starscream looked down at her. 'Your reaction is not surprising. I wanted to outline what you can expect should you choose to make this journey as a human. If that is what you choose, so be it. You may find yourself begging me to transfer you to your protoform before we are done.'

She sighed, turning to leave.

'You know I have to ask,' she said, as she stood near the ladder, the datapad clutched to her chest. He was studying some reports, frowning in concentration.

'Mm?'

'About Frenzy… he's suffering. Can't you show some mercy?'

He didn't look up. 'Suffering is the purpose of punishment, Alexis. Frenzy has his life, which is more than he deserves. Besides, his… relocation has done wonders for discipline amongst my troops. No Decepticon dares to disobey me now. No more discussion on the matter. And before you think of protesting about the bet – that is between your little friend and myself. Stay out of it.'

She made a sound of exasperation, and began to descend the ladder. Starscream waited until she had entered the human quarters, slamming the door behind her, before allowing a calculating smile to cross his face. Thundercracker watched her go, raising his brows.

'You know whatever you tell her, she'll do the opposite.'

Starscream emitted a low chuckle, bending over the datapad. 'Indeed I do, Thundercracker. Indeed I do.'

* * *

Alexis entered the human quarters, chucking the data pad onto the coffee table and flopping onto the sofa with a sigh. Frenzy was sat stiffly in an armchair, looking miserable. She cocked her head, smiling at him.

'Hey, Frenzy. You okay?'

He had somehow managed to dress himself, in jeans and a light blue shirt. On closer inspection, the buttons were all done up wrong. She crossed over to the chair, perching on the arm. 'Here, allow me.' She began reaching down, fiddling with the buttons and fastening them up in the correct holes. 'Where's Sari?'

'She went out,' he replied huskily. Alexis glanced down. On the table was a glass of water, it hadn't been touched. She looked into his face. 'Frenzy…' she said, gently.

'I want some energon,' he said pleadingly, laying a hand on his flat stomach. As he did so, it gurgled. Alexis sighed, crouching down beside the chair.

'Frenzy, you can't have energon,' she said softly. 'Your body's hungry, you need some food to put in it. And water as well, you desperately need water. You'll get ill if you don't have it.'

He shuddered, shaking his head. Just then, the door opened, and Sari came in, struggling with multiple carrier bags, which she dumped on the coffee table, pushing the data pad aside. 'Okay, Frenzy,' she said determinedly. 'Taste test. I've brought some food here, it's stuff that Alexis and I love. We're all going to try some together. You're going to show that big winged dick-face Starscream that Frenzy isn't going to be defeated so easily. Okay?'

They all sat at the main dining table. On several plates were samples of food: sandwiches, brownies, fruit, peanuts, crisps, donuts… Sari had really gone to town, Alexis observed. Frenzy eyed the plates distrustfully, but the hunger pangs in his stomach were clearly getting to him, and he had agreed to give food a try. Alexis picked up a strawberry.

'This is my favourite fruit, Frenzy,' she said, passing him one. 'I've eaten them, up in my quarters on Cybertron, remember? You try one.'

'Can transformers swallow?' Sari muttered, as Frenzy stared at the fruit in his palm. 'Or do they just… pour stuff down their throats?'

Alexis shook her head. 'They've got tongue, teeth, and a swallow reflex, just like us,' she muttered. She smiled, holding the strawberry up. Sari grabbed one too. 'Ready Frenzy? On the count of three…. One… two… three!'

He shut his eyes tight, and with a huge intake of air, stuffed the strawberry in his mouth, chewing, his face screwed up, swallowing hurriedly… the girls finished theirs, waiting, exchanging anxious glances…

He opened his eyes running his tongue around his mouth. He said nothing for a few moments.

'Can I have another one?'

* * *

Thundercracker passed another data pad to Starscream. 'How many Autobots we got on base at the moment, Screamer?'

Starscream's left optic twitched in irritation at the mention of his enemy. 'Just a skeleton staff, thank Primus,' he growled. 'Perceptor, Prowl, Gears… and Arcee, I believe. There should be more soon though, unfortunately… supervising the delivery.'

Thundercracker looked round, his optics opening wider. 'Arcee? She's here?'

'I think so. What of it?'

'Oh, nothing, no reason. I…'

Suddenly a commotion was heard down at the door to the human quarters and both seekers looked round. 'What in Primus' name…?'

Frenzy walked out, his face filled with wonder, one arm cradling an assortment of foods, the other holding up morsels to the light, inspecting them before cramming them into his mouth. He was followed by Sari and Alexis, who danced round, hugging each other and cheering ecstatically. 'Woo-hoo! Go, Frenzy!'

Thundercracker peered down at the scene, a small grin covering his face. 'Frenzy?'

'Thundercracker!' the young man cried. 'Human food is _amazing_! This here, this is a do-nut! Soft squishy stuff with runny stuff in the middle! And this...' He swallowed the donut, producing a brownie - 'Chocolatey squishy stuff! AMAZING! And this…'

Sari sauntered further out, inspecting her nails and smirking, gesturing to the gabbling Frenzy behind her, as far above, Starscream watched with smouldering optics.

'Me: one, Starscream: nil, I think,' she gloated, flicking her hair back. 'Better get ready for a taste of failure, Starscream…'

Behind her, Frenzy had finished the last item - a flapjack, with a flourish, bowing to a bemused Thundercracker like a magician that has just completed a clever trick. Other mechs had heard the ruckus, entering the hall, craning curiously. Alexis laughed, her hands in her pockets… but her smile quickly faded as Frenzy straightened up, a greenish hue on his face.

'Oh…' he gasped, clutching his stomach. 'I don't feel so good… ugh…'

'Frenzy, you ate too much!' Alexis cried. Frenzy groaned, looking about wildly, before dashing to a waste bin, bending over it. Retching sounds could be heard. Thundercracker straightened up with a disgusted grimace. 'Nice one, Frenzy…'

Starscream left the table, strolling up to Sari, leaning down and swallowing her in his shadow. 'It'll be this big,' he purred, making a box shape with his hands. 'Your cage, that is. On a thick chain high off the floor. With a water tray, and… yes… a little perch.'

Sari scowled as he chuckled vindictively.

'We're not done, Starscream!'


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Hi all! hope you're well! Bit of a filler this one, but necessary. Enjoy :)

* * *

Chapter 5

Later that evening, Alexis was pulling on a huge pair of fisherman's waders that came up to her thighs, over a pair of overalls. Lastly she pulled on a pair of gloves, and pushed her fringe back, nodding up at the jet. 'Ready.'

Starscream lay on the tilted berth, having carefully removed the armour near his cockpit. Beneath was a dark hole, about four feet square. In the bottom lay a pool of energon, shimmering in the overhead lights. The young woman made the short leap from the table-top onto the berth. His fingers gave her a leg-up, and she swung her legs into the hole, nimbly jumping in, the walls of the tank now higher than her head. She looked down at her ankles, submerged in energon but protected by the waders. 'How are you still functioning if this tank's empty?' her voice echoed up to him.

'I've got two energon tanks,' he replied. 'One on the other side.'

'Bit greedy,' she muttered, with a mischievous smile.

His fingers lowered into the open tank, clutching the circular filter, about the size of a car hubcap. 'Less of that insolence, if you please.'

She clamped the filter under one arm, and squinted at the pipe opening where energon normally flowed into the tank. After a moment, she got to work with a screwdriver, pulling out a tangle of wires. Without warning they fizzed and sparked, and she pulled her hand back, sucking her burnt fingers. 'Ouch!'

'Your skills are rusty.' he observed.

'Yeah, I know,' she replied. 'Out of practise…'

Twenty minutes later and she hauled herself back out, taking a moment to get her breath back. Starscream sat up, shutting his abdomen and placing two beakers down beside her. One was a large energon container, the bright fluid swirling, emitting the faintest glow. The other was much smaller, about two litres. A familiar smell made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. 'Betagon?'

He nodded. 'The amount is exact.'

She watched anxiously as he picked up the betagon, tipping it into the energon. It swirled for a moment like iodine, the blackness clouding up the glass… then vanished, leaving an innocent-looking energon container once more. He picked it up, swirling it in front of his eyes with a frown.

'I wish there was another way to test this…' she said quietly, her hands near her mouth.

'There isn't,' he replied. 'If this… entity came from Unicron, we must anticipate it on the planet's eco-system. And I cannot sense it: we must have precautions in place. You have the measurements?'

She picked up the data pad. 'Yes. Go for it.'

He tilted his head back, swallowing the mix in one go, banging the empty container down with a shudder of relish. '_Primus_… I forgot how good that tastes, even when diluted...'

She said nothing whilst he waited, biting her lip and hugging the pad to her chest. Presently the computer monitor beeped behind them.

_Test 001 complete. _

With a hiss of hydraulics, a panel in his side opened, and he pulled out a sealed cube, with black fluid inside it. She stared as he set it down. 'Run a scan, run a scan! Now!'

Red light flooded the cube, and the computer's calm voice cooed once

more: _Betagon quantity match. Filter efficiency: One hundred percent._

She looked up, delight on her face. 'It works?'

He smiled. 'It works.'

'Yes!' She ran to his hand, pressing herself to the palm with a relieved sigh. He blinked in surprise, his fingers curling around her. She looked up.

'Thank God, now I don't have to worry about you going all freaky on me again.'

Thundercracker entered the hall, as Starscream lowered his other hand from his com link. 'You sent for me, Starscream?'

'Yes, Thundercracker.' He uncurled his fingers from around Alexis. 'I've send you the spec for the Betagon filter. It's to be issued to all Decepticons as an immediate, compulsory upgrade.'

Thundercracker inclined his head. 'Right away, Starscream.'

Below, Alexis had wriggled out of the protective clothing. Starscream looked down.

'You can use the evening to study the kit pack I assembled for you, and advise on any changes,' he said.

Alexis pulled a sweater over her head, adjusting her hair and smiling.

'Sorry, Starscream. It's Saturday night. The only thing I'm doing tonight is dinner with Sari and Frenzy, and watching _Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway.'_

The gloating smile was back as he turned to the monitor. 'I see. Give my regards to Frenzy… and Sari of course. I trust she's as confident as she was this morning? I'm looking forward to hosting her as my special guest on Cybertron.'

Alexis shook her head. 'You're evil, Starscream.'

'Flattery won't help your friend, my dear.'

* * *

There was one thing Frenzy adapted to beautifully as a human: and that was watching television. In fact, Alexis was sure that had kept him sane these past forty-eight hours – not because he'd been watching it, but because he'd been able to draw on knowledge he had gleaned from TV to do certain things, like getting himself dressed and using a knife and fork. They were sat on the large sofa in the main living room, and the wall mounted TV blared as a married couple dressed in full wedding gear scrambled to dig giant props out of a suitcase, in order to beat the clock and win a holiday. Back on Cybetron, Frenzy had kept Alexis company on many an evening, working their way through Alexis' box sets and games, and Sari had been impressed on his knowledge of mass culture. Right now Frenzy was tackling a meal of steak and fries – the condition being if he managed the steak with a knife and fork, he could eat the fries with his fingers. It was proceeding with varied success, not only because his fingers held the instruments clumsily, but because he was distracted by the TV. His head bobbed from side to side, trying to catch the action, as Sari paced in front of him, deep in thought. Alexis had gone for Chinese food, and dug into a waxed box with a pair of chopsticks.

'Okay, we suffered a minor setback today, guys,' said Sari, still pacing like a general addressing their troops. She was referring to the unfortunate vomiting incident. A blob of ketchup splashed onto Frenzy's T-shirt, and she sighed. 'But I'm certain that was a one-time thing caused by lack of experience. Frenzy won't do that again, especially not if he remembers his little mantra. Which is?'

Frenzy looked up, his cheeks full, taking a moment to chew and swallow. 'Not too much, not too fast,' he recited.

Alexis smiled warmly. 'You're so cute as a human, Frenz.''

'_Ah… only thirty seconds left!'_ chirped Ant on screen as the couple scrambled to find a giant foam pair of sunglasses. Alexis and Frenzy leaned forward. 'There! There! Behind you! Come on!'

* * *

Thundercracker set down two large energon cubes. 'Starscream.'

The jet didn't look up, frowning over the filter design spread out on the table, his right hand transforming into a soldering iron.

'Starscream!'

'What?' the jet looked up, frowning slightly. 'What is it?'

'Can't you take a break? Someone else can do that! That's what being a leader is about!'

Starscream shrugged. 'No one else will do a good job.'

Thundercracker raised his cube to his mouth, sighing before taking a swig.

'You want me on Cybertron whilst you're gone, brother?'

Starscream leaned in closer to inspect the soldering, his hand transforming back. 'You're more than capable of taking command,' he said absently.

'I was… sort of hoping to come with you. Taste some adventure. Remember back when we were young, Screamer? When we used to explore for new worlds every cycle?'

Starscream raised his eyebrows. 'Going back quite a way, Thundercracker. What's getting into you? I thought you'd be glad of the chance to stay. Chase the femmes on Lithone. You could join Soundwave in his post as Overseer.'

'Yeah that'd be a ton of fun,' Thundercracker snorted. He took another swig, glancing anxiously at Starscream. 'Actually, Screamer, I… uh… have sort of… got my optics on someone.'

Starscream looked up, a shrewd smile on his face. 'Oh?'

'Yeah, but… I'm not sure you'd like her… I don't know if you'd approve…'

'Probably not,' said Starscream wryly, bending back over his work. 'Your tastes and mine differ somewhat. Although anyone you pick couldn't ever be as unsuitable as the things Skywarp's been known to drag in.'

* * *

Frenzy had fallen asleep, splayed out on the sofa, his head back, snoring softly. Alexis and Sari settled on the rug, mugs of hot chocolate between them, a fire blazing in the hearth, illuminating their faces.

'For his first day as a human, he's doing okay. Isn't he?' Sari whispered, gesturing to Frenzy. Evidence of his earlier dinner lay on his t-shirt, and he had traces of food on his chin, but he'd eaten slowly, and the meal had stayed down this time. Bizarrely, it had actually been enthralling watching him eat – discovering the flavours for the very first time, a pleased smile on his face as he chewed, concentrating hard on the taste and texture.

'I mean, he still acts and moves like an alien in a human body, but still… others would have gone insane by now, I reckon.'

Alexis nodded, curling her toes in front of the fire. 'I think you're right. If it had been Blackout, Skywarp… even Thundercracker, I don't think they'd have coped. At least Frenzy didn't have much of a size difference to contend with.'

'Starscream is so cruel,' Sari whispered softly, staring into the flames.

'Cruel, perhaps. But Frenzy would be dead by now under Megatron. Come to think of it, we'd all be dead.'

'Yeah, you're right,' replied Sari, her eyes wide. 'Imagine if you'd never met Starscream. Imagine if he'd chosen somewhere else to land that night he arrived at your dad's… or you'd never tried to sabotage him that day… Earth would be a new Cybertron now, all of this wouldn't be here…' She shivered. 'I wonder what it's like to be inside a transformer's body?'

Alexis gripped her mug tight, checking to see that Frenzy was still asleep. 'You really are going to try to find out, aren't you?'

Sari turned to her, eyes shining. 'Aren't you just a little bit curious? Don't you think about that moment you had in stasis, with Starscream?'

'But I didn't _feel_ anything,' said Alexis. 'It was just a dream-like experience. I think for him it had a greater impact, he saw what I looked like. And yes… it was… amazing, to be able to look in his eyes, for that brief moment, to see him on an equal footing. It's just… the reality? Actually going out of your body and into a machine? Doesn't it scare you? Look at how the transition affected Frenzy, he was terrified.'

Sari shrugged. 'The more you fear in life, the less you accomplish. Starscream has shown it's possible. All I need to do is win the bet. There's no way I'm going to be the Decepticon's pet budgie for six months.'

Alexis snorted with laughter, hurriedly smothering it as Frenzy stirred. Sari smiled, though she bit her lip nervously. "I hope Starscream isn't going to pull a dirty trick. I think I can win this bet… but if I don't…'

Alexis raised her eyebrows. 'I _tried_ to tell you not to bet with him!'

'Yeah, I know…' Sari grimaced. 'If he does lock me up… you'll bust me out, yeah?'

'Either that, or I could do something that gets me chucked in there with you, make it into the longest sleepover ever.' Alexis grinned and drained her drink. 'Come on. Let's get him to bed.' She gestured to Frenzy, splayed on the sofa. 'I hope he's happy to sleep by himself tonight… my ribs still hurt from where he kicked me…'

* * *

Starscream's infra-red picked out the two glowing shapes as they moved to the sofa, rousing the third and escorting him along the corridor to the bedroom areas. He blinked once, switching back to standard vision. The table had been cleared of equipment by drones, and he lounged back in his seat, optics half-shut, gripping his energon cube.

Thundercracker turned his head, following Starscream's gaze, then back again.

'She'd yell at you if she knew you were watching her,' he said, chuckling.

'I can't help it, it's too easy,' replied the Decepticon leader, his voice low and lazy from the high grade energon. 'They're so primitive, relying only on those five senses. I don't understand how they can bear it.'

'Frenzy's adaptation to his new body… that could go either way.'

Starscream chuckled darkly. 'Indeed. I think deep down, I always doubted if it was even a punishment for that human-centric little scrap bucket.'

Thundercracker raised an eyebrow. 'It was all very convenient, being able to maneuver him like that… did you know he was stealing?'

Starscream emitted a growl, clutching his cube tighter. 'No, I did not. But it gave me the perfect excuse to strip him of his body and throw him into that inferior sack of flesh… the idiotic regard he has for the miserable Rumble was all he needed to agree to it. My research shows there has to be an element of co-operation in the subject. If not, you end up with what happened to Spike: the subject loses their mind. Frenzy, despite his many weaknesses, was the perfect candidate, even if he did not know it. We have his friendship with Alexis to thank for that – and his resulting interest in her world.'

'So, you can't _make_ her do it?' Thundercracker asked quietly.

Starscream was silent for a moment. 'Sometimes I can bend her to my will, other times I can't,' he said, a trace of dry amusement in his tone. 'She's unpredictable. But I hope she'll come round. She is tough, and stubborn.'

'Wonder where she learnt that?'

Starcream laughed, draining his energon cube, clicking his fingers at the service drone who hurried forward with a fresh one.

* * *

The next morning, Frenzy swallowed hard, huddled into the doorway of the human quarters. He wore a Back to the Future T-shirt, and jeans that swamped his slim frame, causing him to have to yank them up periodically. The main hall was thronged with Decepticons, crashing this way and that, carrying supplies and weapons, chatting and gossiping in rough Cybertronian banter. Alexis stood behind him, a hand on his shoulder.

He looked back, anguished, his curly hair sticking out. 'Can't you come with me?'

Alexis bit her lip, feeling guilty. 'I'm sorry Frenzy, but this will look better if you go alone. You don't want the Decepticons thinking you need accompanying everywhere, do you?

'Anyway,' she continued, 'I know you can do this! I've seen you face down a mutated Morph Hound! I've seen you shoot off Megatron's knee! This is a piece of energon cake!'

He smiled weakly. 'Yeah… I guess…'

'Go get 'em, Frenzy!' She kissed him lightly on the cheek, giving him a gentle nudge forward.

Frenzy took a deep breath, and stepped out into the main hall. Above him the ceiling soared. To his left and right Decepticons strode – there was Blackout, carrying a stock of empty cubes; there was Skywarp, leaning on a worktop and boasting about his Lithonian girlfriend to a bunch of drones… through the crowd was the high table where Starscream and his council managed everything. That was his destination. He began to walk, dodging huge, stomping feet. The fabric of his shirt brushed against his soft skin. His human heart pounded in his chest – how horrible, the way the heart sped up when you were scared! So unhelpful!

Suddenly a foot slammed into the floor in front of him, the noise deafening him, and he flinched, almost dropping the data pad. A drone leered down at him – back when he had been in his Cybertronian form, Frenzy would have outranked this drone several times over, but now the tables had turned.

'Hello, maggot,' it growled, a horrible grin stretching across his features. 'What are you doing out here? Enjoying your new squishy shell? Our master Starscream has brought you lower than death, as low as a bug!'

Frenzy gripped the data pad tighter. A group of cons had gathered round to watch, sniggering.

'I w… want to get to the main table, to speak to _our_ master,' said Frenzy, forcing himself to look up. 'Let me through!'

The ground shook, and a shadow fell over the mechs. Frenzy looked up to see Thundercracker looming above them. 'What's going on here?'

'Nothing, Commander Thundercracker,' said the drone, bowing low. 'I was merely…'

'You have things to do, _drone,_' growled Thundercracker, leaning down into the drone's face. 'I don't think your schedule allows for chatter! **Get back to work!**'

'Yes Commander!' The drone hurried off, head bowed. Thundercracker straightened up. 'Frenzy.'

Frenzy looked up. 'I… need an audience with Starscream.'

Thundrecracker walked back to the table. 'Come on up. He's not here. Running diagnostics on his fuel systems, I believe. Any queries you have can come to me.'

Frenzy sagged, almost crying with relief. 'Oh Primus… really? That's great!'

He scrambled up onto the table. 'Whew, I'm glad it's you! You're my buddy, my pal, Thundercracker! We've always got along, haven't we?'

Thundercracker looked up, un-amused. 'What do you want, Frenzy?'

Frenzy looked left and right, anxiously. 'I need permission to leave the… the base,' he said. Thundercracker raised an eyebrow.

Frenzy began to gabble, his habit when nervous. 'Y'see, the girls… that is… Alexis and Sari, they say that what with me being in a human shape I should be okay to leave the base and go out with them, 'cause I need to learn more about the human world, you know? So.. um.. if you could sign off the datapad and give me permission, I would be so grateful, what with this being important, you know, I need to learn more so I can be a convincing human, so I can get my body back…'

Thundercracker sighed, regarding him. To his horror, Frenzy felt the cursed tears building up behind his eyelids… How he hated the way human's emotions showed through like this! … He squeezed his eyes shut.

The deep voice of the commander rumbled above him. 'Fine, give it here…'

Frenzy passed the datapad over, relief washing over him like sweet high-grade. 'Thank you, thank you, thank you!'


	6. Chapter 6

Enjoy lovelies! And Happy Easter! Please review. And we'll be setting off on adventures soon, promise. :-) xxx

* * *

Chapter 6

A week had passed, and Alexis had been so busy the days had blurred into each other. She had performed base duty: mainly cleaning and routine maintenance, she'd assisted Starscream some more with upgrades and experiments, and started to compile a small discreet kit she would wear when she entered slavery on Unicron. All this, as well as medical checks, perusing Starscream's notes on Unicron, and a strict training regimen, both in the gym and in the training pit. She had spent time with Frenzy when she could: they had been out showing him the world: the Zoo, public transport, food shopping, museums… it had been a struggle fitting it all in.

Now it was Saturday once more, and she stirred in her sleep, her tired limbs wrapped in her thick duvet, hair spread out on her pillow, gratefully enjoying a deep, much needed sleep.

_Clunk_.

One eye opened and she blearily focused on the digital wall mounted clock from her nest in the duvet: 5.30 am.

_Clunk_. Above her head, she heard it again: the sound of a seal on the ceiling of her room being undone, and moaned despairingly.

'No…. no no no! Starscream, not again! It's Saturday!'

_Clunk, clunk…_

'Leave me alone!' she yelled, scrabbling into the corner of the bed, hair in disarray, as the ceiling lifted.

A giant metal hand plunged onto the bed, and the fingers closed, lifting the yelling girl, pillows, duvet and all, up out of the bedroom. She kicked and snarled, one slim arm emerging from the fist, punching his fingers as the jet stalked through the halls.

Starscream arrived in the training pit and placed the bundle of blankets unceremoniously on the floor. Alexis fought to extricate herself, an angry grimace on her face, eyes still struggling to focus after being awoken.

Her duvet clutched round her, she stood up, wincing at the cold on her bare feet. 'What is your problem? It's _Saturday_! It's practically the middle of the night!'

The duvet was snatched from around her shoulders and she shivered in her cotton pyjamas, the ground shaking beneath her as Starscream paced back and forth.

'I do not acknowledge your calendar, and neither will Unicron when you go undercover in just a couple of Earth weeks,' growled Starscream. 'You must be prepared for anything, at any moment. You think you will enjoy time in bed when you assume slave rank? Well?'

He had a good point, and she shrugged grumpily, clamping her hands under her armpits in an effort to get warm. 'Just… wanted to enjoy it while I could,' she mumbled, looking at the floor.

He stepped forward, and she looked up, craning her head back. 'No. You must abandon your laid-back attitude. We don't have the luxury of relaxation, Alexis. Understood?'

'Yes, Starscream,' she muttered, and he nodded, satisfied. 'Good. Now. List your weaknesses. Go!'

She blinked rapidly, still trying to wake up, as he resumed pacing. 'Weaknesses! Yes! Uh… My size. Organic frailty…'

He nodded. 'Any more?'

'Uh… relative weakness compared to transformers… maybe speed, though I'm faster than I was…'

'Good, good. Now your strengths.'

'Strengths… my size… I'm going to include that in strengths too!' she looked up, expecting to be smacked down, but he merely motioned for her to continue.

'Eyes, ears – no one will expect a slave to pay attention to what is going on around them…'

'Good…'

'Technical knowledge, ability to plan, ability to move unnoticed…'

He nodded, seeming pleased. 'Excellent. Time to put these to use. Blackout!'

Blackout strode in, and for the first time Alexis noticed a tall plinth, maybe fifteen feet high, in the centre of the room. On top was a globe, about the size of a football.

Blackout stopped, bowing to Starscream. 'You sent for me, leader.'

Starscream nodded. 'This is a training exercise for Alexis. She needs to retrieve the globe from the platform. You must stop her.'

Blackout looked surprised. Starscream moved to the end of the room. 'Set your weapons to level two. Do not go easy on her, I want you to treat this as a real mission.'

'Understood,' said Blackout, grinning horribly. Alexis was staring up at the plinth, her mind moving fast. 'Don't I get a weapon?'

Starscream thought for a moment. 'You may have the one we designed for your kit, I suppose. That seems fair.'

He tossed a tiny object across the room, and it clattered at her feet. She picked it up: a small gun that fitted snugly into her palm. Blackout squinted down at it, and erupted into laughter.

'That? That won't even dent my armour! Ha ha ha!'

Alexis scowled. 'Yeah, seems perfectly fair, doesn't it,' she muttered sarcastically, beginning to circle the plinth, side-stepping slowly.

Blackout put his hands on his hips and relaxed, moving to stand by the plinth, still grinning in anticipation of an easy fight. Alexis looked down at the gun as she walked: despite its flimsy appearance, Starscream had managed to pack quite a punch into the design. Still, she might be able to hurt Blackout, but disable him? Not likely.

She took a few hesitant steps towards him, and he readied his guns, chuckling. She looked over at Starscream, he had leant back against the wall, arms folded, watching carefully. Another step forward.

Blackout fired near her feet, and she flinched, prompting another mocking laugh. 'You heard what our leader said,' said Blackout, smirking as she backed away from the smoking black mark on the floor. '"Don't spare her!" So come on, what are you going to do?'

He had moved round as she'd walked, still standing between her and the plinth. She raised her small gun, peering down the barrel, aiming it at Blackout's chest as he guffawed repeatedly.

'Awww… well I guess it doesn't hurt to let the little one have a try.' He spread his arms wide. 'Go on, Little Decepticon. Give it your best shot!'

Before he could react, she spun round on both feet, aiming the gun at Starscream … and fired. The shot whizzed across the vast room, grazing the jet's wrist. His thick armour remained un-punctured, yet he hissed in pain and shock, raising his wrist to his face incredulously.

Blackout gaped at her in amazement, then ran towards his leader. 'Lord Starscream!' he yelled, casting a murderous glance back at Alexis. 'Are you alright?'

Alexis wasted no time. She swung her gun back round at the unguarded plinth and fired. The shot caused the plinth to wobble, and the globe rolled to the edge. She fired again, running round, and caught the ball as it fell, the weight of it heavy in her arms. She straightened up. Blackout gawped, stunned, as Starscream roared with laughter.

'Well done! Well done! Exceptional, Alexis!'

Blackout stared as Starscream's laughter subsided. 'I… I don't understand, Lord…'

'Oh Blackout… that is why you remain at your current rank, with no hope for promotion! No, no, don't look like that. Your loyalty and concern for your leader is commendable. But you should learn from Alexis here – she found the one thing that would cause you to abandon your post. Beautifully played, girl. Beautifully played.'

Alexis crossed the room, a flush of pleasure rising in her cheeks as Starscream regarded her, swelling with pride. She lifted the globe up, and he took it from her with a chuckle.

'So, I did okay?' she asked, as poor Blackout stumped from the room, shaking his head.

'Admirably. You made use of Blackout's weakness to achieve your objective. That kind of thinking is what makes a Decepticon. Although if you make a habit of firing at me, I will have to return the favour next time.' He smiled evilly.

'So… a reward for your soldier who surpassed expectations in training?'

He let out a short, disbelieving laugh. 'You insolent little… alright. What do you want?'

She raised her eyebrows. 'I want to go back to bed, and not be disturbed before ten.'

* * *

Later that evening she was sitting atop the main table, eating casserole and painstakingly copying some notes from the datapad onto several sheets of paper spread out in front of her. Thundercracker came in, carrying a stack of energon cubes and setting them down, peering at the papers with interest. 'What are you doing?'

'Copying these notes onto paper,' she explained, spearing a piece of lamb on her fork and mopping up the gravy in the bottom of the bowl. 'I doubt very much I'll be allowed to keep this datapad in the slave barracks, and I don't stand a chance of remembering all this. So I thought good old fashioned paper will come in handy. It came in useful back in the Occupation - I had notes on Starscream in my pocket that I carried around for months on end. No transformer will care about paper when they scan me, it might not even show up.'

'Very good point,' rumbled Thundercracker, sounding impressed. Starscream strode in, laying the Requiem Blaster down on the worktop. 'What is?'

'Alexis is copying your info onto paper, Starscream. Says it won't come up under scanners.'

Starscream nodded disinterestedly. Just then Frenzy and Sari appeared in the doorway, approaching the table. The three of them watched as they climbed up, hefting several shopping bags. Starscream's optics narrowed. 'Where have you been?'

'Shopping,' replied Sari. 'I got Frenzy some clothes, and some shoes. Then we went to the Harry Potter Studio Tour, it's not far from here.'

'I got sorted into Hufflepuff,' said Frenzy happily, though he quailed slightly under Starscream's glare.

'I don't know who this Harry Potter is, but he better not come sniffing round here asking questions,' snarled Starscream. 'What did you tell him?'

Sari sighed. 'He's not real, Starscream.'

'Not real?' Starscream frowned. 'I don't understand. Why would you go and see someone who is…'

'It's like a story! You know, make believe!'

Starscream merely looked at Sari, unimpressed, and she gestured exasperatedly. 'Oh, never mind…' She looked over at Alexis. 'You ready for dinner and a game, maybe?'

'I'll be done in ten minutes, we can head back to the human quarters,' she said, starting to gather her things. Frenzy started to head for the ladder, when Starscream called him back. 'Frenzy.'

Frenzy turned, anxiously. 'Yes, Lord?'

'Tomorrow, you can join Alexis on base duty. Your time in your human shell was not intended as a pleasure jaunt. No more trips outside.'

Frenzy's shoulders sagged. 'Yes, Lord.'

'No, but… wait!' Alexis looked up. 'I haven't had a chance to go out with Frenzy yet! I've worked so hard this week… Please, we were going to go for drinks this Friday! One more outing?'

Starscream glared at the little group, waiting with anxious expressions.

'I'm about to leave my planet behind, on a dangerous mission,' said Alexis quietly. 'Please, Starscream.'

He scowled, but relented. 'Fine. One more trip, at the end of this week. No more!'

There was another disturbance in the doorway, and Starscream whirled round, turning back with a groan. 'Oh, terrific. Just what I wanted…'

Sari squealed happily, and rushed to the ladder. '_Bumblebee!_'

Alexis looked up, a pleased smile on her face, and sure enough there were the Autobots: Ratchet, Arcee, Optimus, Bumblebee, Hotshot… and several others, all in their alt modes, engines roaring as they entered the hall. Sari jumped down from the ladder, running to Bumblebee as he transformed, hugging her ecstatically. 'Hey, troublemaker! I've missed you!'

Sai was chattering happily to Bumblebee as the other Autobots transformed, Optimus approaching the table. 'Starscream,' he said, nodding to the jet in greeting.

'Optimus.' Starscream's optic twitched in irritation. 'I trust you have all the things I asked for?'

'Everything,' Optimus confirmed. 'And I trust things are progressing well your end?'

'Yes,' replied Starscream shortly. 'Though I'm hardly going to fill you in on Decepticon affairs.'

'I wouldn't expect otherwise,' replied Optimus calmly. 'But know that if you require assistance, we are here.'

'Yes, yes, your offer is… noted…' snarled Starscream. Optimus knew when to back off with Starcream, and turned to Alexis, smiling. 'Hello, small one. Good to see you.'

'And you, Prime.' She smiled back.

* * *

Arcee watched Optimus talking to Starscream as she arched her back after transformation. As Ratchet transformed and trudged past, she caught his elbow. 'Ratchet. You still on for our plan? Tonight?'

'I'm not happy about this Arcee,' he said gruffly. 'Not happy at all. I wish you'd forget the whole thing!'

'I'm going ahead with it, whether you like it or not,' she muttered back, still watching the two leaders carefully. 'I can go through with this with your expertise, or without. The first option is better, but if you don't want to help, that won't stop me.'

Ratchet sighed. 'You're going to get into so much trouble… and Prime will fry my circuits when he finds out.'

'Is that a yes, old friend?'

'Just… be in the medic bay tonight, midnight.' Ratchet stomped off, and Arcee smiled, watching him go. Suddenly she felt another pair of optics on her, and turned to see Thundercracker across the hall, leaning against the wall with an infuriating little smile. As she seethed, he raised a hand, waving surreptitiously. She shot him a killer stare back, before spinning on her heel. 'If anyone wants me, I'm re-charging!'

* * *

Friday evening arrived. Alexis hadn't seen much of the autobots – despite their truce, the Decepticons and Autobots got on best when they stayed away from each other. She and Frenzy pushed a huge cart of spare parts away from the repair bay, these were bound for the incinerator. She looked sideways at Frenzy. All day he had been subdued – he'd received a lot of flack during his time as a human, and what's more the Decepticons had discovered a fun new game: cornering Frenzy and forcing him to perform obscure, supposedly 'human' tasks, such as tossing pancakes, tying his shoelaces, or juggling. Invariably he would mess up, mostly due to nerves, and all the while the Decepticons would film it to show Starscream, sniggering nastily. She sighed. Frenzy had several bits of toilet paper with dried blood stuck to his cheeks – souvenirs of that morning's shave.

'Who taught you to shave, Frenzy?' she asked, curiously.

'Youtube,' he replied grimly, reaching up to swipe the bits off his cheek.

'Ah.'

They continued in silence for a few minutes. 'Still,' she said brightly. 'It's our night out tonight! Should be fun, yeah?'

'Yeah, I suppose,' he said miserably, staring at the floor. They parked the cart outside the incinerator room and headed for the human quarters. Starscream was at the main table, removing all his weapons for one final clean and check. Frenzy stared up at him as they walked, and Alexis knew he was worrying about the outcome of the bet.

'No point in stressing yourself out, Frenz,' she said softly. Frenzy shivered and nodded, though he looked glummer than ever as they entered the quarters. She sighed.

* * *

An hour later, and Alexis stepped out, clad in a green dress, with black heels and a matching bag, fastening earrings into her ears. She approached the table, where Starscream was still frowning over his weapons, scanning his null ray. Just as she had done several years ago, the night they had first encountered each other, she twirled, smiling. 'What do you think?'

He looked down. 'I know nothing of human attire,' he said, as she slowed to a halt, her skirts swishing about her. 'But I believe you look very nice. Elegant.'

Sari ushered Frenzy out, smiling. Alexis turned and gasped. '_Frenzy!_'

Frenzy was wearing a dark, fitted suit, and a raspberry coloured shirt underneath. The suit clung perfectly to his slim frame, accentuating his height, and his hair had been brushed back. Alexis caught a pleasing whiff of aftershave and laughed delightedly. 'You look amazing! How do you feel?'

'Nice, actually,' he replied shyly, smoothing his hands down the front. Sari slipped her arm through his, admiring her handiwork. 'He scrubs up nice, don't he?'

The three of them clustered together, Alexis raising her phone in the air to take a picture. 'That's going straight on Facebook!'

* * *

Two hours later, and Frenzy stepped up to the bar, feeling slightly buzzy. 'One of those, and uh… two of those,' he said to the barman, grinning proudly at ordering the drinks himself.

The smart venue on the outskirts of London was packed full of people, and Frenzy turned to survey the scene, having fumbled with unfamiliar paper currency for the drinks.

Every sense was assaulted: he could feel the fabric of his clothes on his skin, the whoosh of the air con, the taste of the meal and drinks they'd had on his tongue. Music and human chatter rang in his ears. There was so much to experience when you are human, he mused. He wasn't sure how they coped with being so delicate and fragile… but Frenzy felt a sensation of admiration as he looked around. They all… just get out and live their lives, he thought. They don't see themselves as fragile, or weak.

Someone touched his elbow and he turned, expecting to see Alexis or Sari, instead he was faced with another human girl, about five foot six, wearing a sparkly top and jeans, smiling at him. She was curvy, almost plump, with creamy pale skin and long red hair. 'Hi.'

'Uh... hello,' he said, smiling nervously back. Now what? He racked his brains, recalling the many TV programmes he'd seen. 'How are you?'

'I'm great,' she said, chinking her bottle against his. 'Are you here by yourself?'

She had a soft Welsh accent, and Frenzy felt the heat rise to his cheeks as he looked round. Alexis and Sari had spotted him, and moved closer, both grinning and waving furiously. 'No, um, I'm here with them…'

The girl spotted Alexis and Sari, and her smile slipped, disappointed. 'Oh…'

'My friends,' he added hurriedly, and she perked up. 'Friends? Oh!'

The girls drew up to Frenzy and smiled. 'Hey! How's it going?'

'I'm Lucy,' said the girl, offering her hand. 'You are?'

Frenzy mouthed wordlessly a couple of times, but Sari swiftly stepped in. 'This is Freddie,' she said brightly without missing a beat. 'And I'm Sari, this is Alexis, we're his… house-mates.'

Frenzy blushed, clearing his throat. 'I need to go to bathroom,' he said hoarsely. 'Excuse me…'

Lucy watched him go, and the three girls smiled at each other politely.

'Are you from round here?' asked Alexis.

'No, I'm just here on a training course actually, I'm from Swansea. Just here for the weekend.' Lucy smiled, nodding in the direction of the gent's toilets. 'Your friend is lovely.'

'Who, Freddie? Yeah, he's… he's really great, isn't he, Sari?'

'Is he available?' Lucy leaned forward conspiratorially, with the easy intimacy girls have when they've had a few drinks.

'Um…'

'Yeah, he's available alright!' Sari said, grinning devilishly. 'It's about time he found a nice girl!'

Alexis jabbed Sari in the ribs, but her friend was now in full flow. 'He's a real charmer, and so good with the girls! But not arrogant or anything like that! And he's great with animals, he likes cooking and movies and…'

* * *

_2 am_

The vast hallway reared above, shrouded in darkness, as the two small figures walked through it, their footsteps tiny in the darkness. Frenzy let out a long, slow breath of relief to find the hall empty, and they reached the human quarters.

Lucy had had rather a lot of cocktails, yet she frowned at the massive space with the huge table as Frenzy opened the door. 'Weird place,' she whispered, slurring her words slightly. 'This is where you live?'

'Yeah, uh…' Frenzy hesitated, trying desperately to assemble an excuse for living in a gigantic underground secret base, but Lucy had already forgotten her curiosity, her lips brushing his ear, sliding her hand into his back pocket. They reached his bedroom, Frenzy swallowing hard as a range of unfamiliar feelings jostled for position in his chest, his heart thumping. He turned around, his chest rising and falling under his shirt, as she slowly slid her hand up his chest, looking up at him wide-eyed.

'You're beautiful…' he whispered.

She guided him backwards to the bed, gently undoing his belt, her mouth suddenly on his. Without even knowing how, he responded, kissing her fiercely as they fell back onto the mattress, tearing at each other's clothes. His heart was pounding even faster as she slid off his trousers, nibbling his ear. 'Don't worry, love,' she cooed, misreading his nervous expression. 'I'm on the pill.'

'Er... the pill? And that's… good?'

She laughed. 'You're gorgeous, Freddie.'

And he gasped as she took hold of his stiffness, guiding him inside her gently. He threw his head back, moaning as she settled herself on top of him, giggling. After a moment, he grinned back, then thrust inside her, again and again… they laughed and tumbled on the bed, moving together in rhythm… before an explosion of the sweetest pleasure Frenzy had ever known erupted in his groin and he cried out, arching his back, the human girl sighing as she gripped his shoulders.

As the combined power of the alcohol and their orgasm lulled them both, Lucy curled up to Frenzy, a pleased smile on her face… her body heat warmed his side… he slid his hand over her creamy skin… the last thing he knew of before he slid into sleep was the smell of her hair...

* * *

Frenzy woke, blinking a few times, before the memory of last night came back to him and he grinned, turning in the bed-clothes and regarding the sleeping girl next to him.

Silently, he slid out, pulling on some sweat pants, then climbed back into bed, tugging the sheets over Lucy's shoulders tenderly. She stirred, smiling, and cuddled up to him without opening her eyes. 'Morning…' she mumbled sleepily.

'Good morning,' he whispered back, hesitating before kissing the top of her head. For the first time, he felt truly relaxed and comfortable in this new, soft shell. He felt… human…

* * *

Skywarp stumbled through the halls with an energon hangover, tasked with carrying out the early morning walk-round. His scan flew over the tables, the doorways, only half paying attention, groaning and wanting only to get back to his berth. Suddenly, he stopped, frowning. His scans picked out four heartbearts in the human quarters. _Four?_

* * *

Frenzy was on the edge of sleep once more, when suddenly his eyes flew open, and his whole body tensed, as above him the edge of the ceiling wobbled with a _clunk_.

'No,' he whispered, eyes wide with horror. 'No, no no _no_!'

The ceiling was lifted and the looming, giant outline of Skywarp peered down at them, the ceiling clutched in his hands. Beside him, Lucy stirred once more, still fast asleep. A slow, disbelieving grin spread across the jet's face.

'No way,' he breathed, grinning demonically. 'No. _WAY_!'

'_Skywarp_!' Frenzy hissed, flinging his arm furiously in a shooing gesture. 'Go away!'

'You bagged a human femme,' whispered Skywarp, gaping delightedly at the glimpse of red hair and the hand resting on Frenzy's chest. 'Dude! You _legend_!'

'_Go away_!' Frenzy almost screamed, though trying to keep his voice down. Beside him, Lucy stirred again, and he yanked at the sheets, trying to pull them over her head. Above him, Skywarp's hand wandered to his com link.

'Don't! Don't you dare! _Skywarp_!'

'I have to show the guys this,' whispered Skywarp, his grin almost splitting his face. 'I'm sorry, Frenzy…'

Lucy moaned, the light from the illuminated ceiling waking her up. She smiled and exhaled happily. 'Hey, you. You okay?

'Lucy,' Frenzy whispered, a desperate, frozen grin on his face. 'Don't look up…'


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

She looked up.

It took Lucy a few moments to register what she was seeing. A monstrous humanoid figure, complete with two plane wings on his back, waved down at her, grinning deviously. She gasped, scrambling up against the headrest, one hand stuffed in her mouth to stop her from screaming, the other clutching the bedsheets to her naked body. Beside her, Frenzy had scrambled out of bed, fists clenched and face crimson, beside himself with fury. "Skywarp! You're _dead_! Put the roof back now! I swear to Primus I'm gonna _gut_ you!'

Through her just-woken terror, Lucy lowered her hand from her mouth, her heart thumping in her ears. 'You… know each other?'

Sktywarp dropped the ceiling outside the human quarters with a resounding crash, crouching down on his haunches, arms resting on his knees, one hand going to his com link once more. 'All Decepticons to human quarters!' he crowed. 'Frenzy's been BUSY!'

Lucy wriggled backwards, sliding off the bed, clamping the bedsheets under her arm in a makeshift floor-length toga, shaking from head to foot. Crouching down, her wide eyes still on Skywarp, she fumbled for a shoe, clutching it tight, ready to throw. 'Don't come near me!' she cried, shrinking into the corner. Above her, Skywarp tilted his head, stroking his chin enquiringly.

'So, fleshie, was he any good?' he boomed. 'I don't know much about human aesthetics, but you look like a real _slice_…'

A giant hand lowered, the jet chuckling evilly. Lucy gasped as the fingers came closer… and threw the shoe as hard as she could. It bounced off the side of the jet's head, and he blinked… before roaring with laughter, snatching the young woman up between thumb and finger. 'Feisty!'

As the leering 'con lifted the screaming girl into the air, something inside Frenzy snapped. He sprinted from the bedroom and into the corridor. On the way he collided with Alexis and Sari, who had emerged from their bedrooms, expressions of anxious confusion on their faces… before they could ask what was happening, he had barged passed them, out of the doors and into the main hall.

He skirted round Skywarp's feet and ran for the main table. Through various doorways, Decepticons had started to emerge, heading for the human quarters and gathering round Skywarp, who held Lucy aloft in front of his optics, guffawing and inspecting her closely… he reached the table top and leapt over assorted rays and missiles like an Olympic hurdler, spotting what he was after down the far end of the table…

Skywarp 's hand was clamped firmly around the girl's soft torso, her arms and head sticking out of the fist, her hair tumbling around her face… she clung on for dear life, squeezing her eyes shut, as suddenly she was surrounded by more metal giants, whooping and laughing… the fist whirled sickeningly as Skywarp presented her to the others like a prize trophy…

Then all at once, a hush fell, as behind Skywarp there was a high pitched whine, starting soft and growing louder…

Skywarp turned to see Frenzy glaring at him from the table top, holding Starscream's Requiem Blaster, shrunk to human proportions, eyes burning with rage. 'Put her down right now, or I'll shoot,' he hissed, his bare feet spread wide apart.

There were only four beings in the whole known galaxy that could wield the Requiem Blaster: Starscream, and the three that he had sent to retrieve it from its resting place: Rumble, Alexis… and Frenzy. Skywarp had forgotten this up to now, and he hesitated, having never heard Frenzy talk like that before, not ever. There were some sniggers and mutterings from the assembled cons. Skywarp stared… then recovered, snorting contemptuously. 'You wouldn't dare!'

'Try me,' Frenzy growled, and in his arms the whine grew louder as the Requiem Blaster felt its handler's fury, readying itself to fire.

The Decepticons murmured once more, apparently impressed. In the doorway, Alexis stepped forward, tentatively. 'Frenzy…'

Frenzy didn't take his eyes off Skywarp 'I got this, Alexis,' he said. 'Put her down right now… or I'll reduce you to scrap!'

'Oh really?' Skywarp stomped closer, and in his fist Lucy whimpered, her feet squirming amongst the bedsheets sticking out of the bottom of his fist. 'You'd fire on _Skywarp_, brother to the leader of the Decepticons?'

'_What is going on here?_'

As if on cue, Starscream stepped into the hall, his optics burning, a dangerous snarl tugging at his mouth. Instantly, the assembled mechs fell back, standing to attention. Starscream stalked into the centre, taking in the strange scene through narrowed optics.

Unusually, Lucy hadn't seen many Decepticons back in the Occupation: her community had fled into the mountains, leading an isolated, hidden existence. But even she had seen newsreels and documentaries about the Decepticons, and her face paled in recognition as Starscream came to a stop, leaning in to observe her. 'Oh shit,' she whispered, squeezing her eyes shut once more.

For what seemed like an eternity, Starscream simply watched the human girl huddled in the fist, her body tense with fear. Finally, he straightened up, his optics roving over the assembled mechs, Skywarp, Alexis and Sari, and finally Frenzy, still standing pointing the Blaster. 'Would anyone like to explain?'

Skywarp spoke first. 'Brother, Frenzy brought this human back to the base last night,' he said, gesturing to Lucy. 'Then he steals _your_ weapon and threatens to fire on me!

Starscream turned to Frenzy.

'Is that true?'

Frenzy took a deep breath. 'Yes, Lord,' he said, raising his chin bravely.

'You brought this…' the Decepticon leader's finger swung round to Lucy, who flinched, '…back to base?'

'Yes, and I'll accept the consequences of that, Leader,' Frenzy shifted the Blaster in his arms, raising it once more at Skywarp. 'But you have to tell Skywarp to put her down!'

There was a gasp. Down on the floor, Alexis covered her eyes with a hand, and Sari turned away. 'I can't watch…' she whispered.

'Is that right?' asked Starscream softly. Frenzy stood his ground as Starscream stepped back, a smile of wry amusement on his face. Skywarp gestured to Frenzy derisively. 'Oh, come on! Scrap him already! He's an insolent little squirt!'

'Indeed.' Starscream nodded, and his smile grew wider, his optics fixed on Frenzy. 'Skywarp, do as he says.'

'_What?!_'

'You heard. Put this one down.'

Skywarp gaped at Starscream… then with an angry snarl he dropped Lucy on the tabletop. She ran to Frenzy, burying her head in his chest as he shouldered the Blaster, putting a protective arm around her shoulders. 'It's okay, its okay. You hurt?'

'What's going on?' she whispered, emerging from his chest and staring up at him, trembling all over.

Frenzy gave a weak smile. 'Uh… I have some explaining to do…'

Starscream lowered his hand, making a beckoning gesture, and Frenzy passed him the Blaster, which returned to its huge size with a deft series of clicks. The jet barked a command, and the Decepticons dispersed, muttering and staring at Frenzy as they left. Skywarp glared at the pair on the tabletop for a few seconds, then recovered, shrugging and laughing. 'Huh. You got some ball-bearings, Frenz, I'll give you that.'

He stomped off. Starscream stood, arms folded, observing the two of them as Thundercracker drew up alongside him. Frenzy kept his arm around Lucy, his face calm and his voice steady.

'I know "sorry" won't cut it, my lord,' he said simply. 'But I don't regret what I did. I gotta be honest.'

'Looks like you managed to squeeze rather a lot into your last outing,' said Starscream drily. Frenzy blushed, and nodded. The Decepticon leader appeared to reach a decision.

'Frenzy, this human has half an hour to gather her belongings and leave the base. I never want to see her again.'

'I understand,' said Frenzy. Lucy looked up at him, confused and crestfallen, but he merely squeezed her shoulder and gave her a comforting smile.

'Are you in trouble?' she whispered.

Frenzy laughed. 'I'm always in trouble,' he replied lightly. 'Don't you worry about me.'

'Why do they call you Frenzy?'

"Uh… Kind of a long story…'

'When she is gone we will talk about what happens next.' Starscream said above them.

Frenzy bowed his head, but nodded. 'Yes, leader.' He ushered Lucy, still trembling, towards the ladder.

* * *

Lucy sat outside, fully dressed, shivering slightly in the chilly morning breeze. Frenzy perched beside her on a low wall. Any minute now, Blackout was tasked with taking Lucy back into town in his alt mode. They were silent, their shoulders touching, watching the sun come up over the fields.

'So…' she said softly. 'You're a robot.'

'Yeah,' he admitted, his hands in his pockets, drawing a circle in the dirt with his shoe.

'Is that why you were so good in bed?' she whispered, trying to laugh.

Frenzy grinned bashfully. 'Beginners luck, I think.' He looked sideways at her for a long time, at the wind whipping through her hair. She shakily dug in her bag, lighting a cigarette with trembling fingers and taking a long, calming drag.

'I'm sorry I didn't tell you… but you wouldn't have believed me…'

She smiled, pushing her fringe aside. 'I survived. Something to tell the grandchildren, although I might edit it for adult content.' she looked up, concerned. 'Are you going to be okay?'

'Not sure,' he replied truthfully. 'I was on pretty shaky ground to begin with. My brother, back on Cybertron… he's in prison for something we did. This was my punishment.' He gestured down at himself.

'I'm never going to see you again, am I?' Tears welled up in her eyes and she shook them away. 'Sorry, sorry! I'm being stupid! It was only one night!'

'It was a great night,' he smiled shyly. 'When I got put in this body I thought I would never feel at home in it, ever. But… you showed me differently.'

The throaty roar of Blackout's engine interrupted them, and the black car zoomed rapidly out of the underground tunnel, pausing next to them. The door opened.

'I'll never forget you, Freddie,'

Lucy stood on tiptoe as he got up, kissing his cheek… then moved her lips to his mouth, planting them there softly. She smiled one more time, sliding into the seat. Frenzy shut the door, waving his hand… then she was gone, as Blackout roared off, leaving a trail of dust in the early morning air. He stood there for a long time, gazing down the deserted road, his fingers on his lips, feeling the tingle where they had brushed hers.

* * *

Time to face the music. After an age, Frenzy sighed, and turned back into the long tunnel into the base, his footsteps echoing in the dimness.

He reached the doors to the main hall, and they hissed apart as he approached. The roaring wall of noise that met his arrival almost knocked him backwards.

'YEEEEAAAAAH! FRENZYYYYY!'

Every Decepticon had piled into the main hall, cheering and yelling at his return. Smoke and bangs accompanied their weapons as they fired them in the air. A drone lifted him onto his shoulders and paraded him round the room, before setting him on the main table. Frenzy stared, stunned, as the whole of his faction gathered round, only this time they were cheering and heaping praise on him, slamming their fists down in admiration and whooping. Even Skywarp had returned to good humour, chuckling and leaning through the crowd. 'What was it like, Frenz?' he asked eagerly. The crowd nodded, egging him on.

'Yeah, what was it like?'

'Was it as good as interfacing?'

'Nah, nothing could beat that!'

'It was great,' grinned Frenzy, staring at his knees. Suddenly, a mobile phone the girls had lent him buzzed in his pocket and he pulled it out curiously. The text message was from Alexis. He looked up to spot her leaning in the doorway and smiling.

'A gentleman never tells,' he read out loud, frowning in confusion. Skywarp snorted.

'To the pit with that! Decepticons tell! C'mon Frenzy, _details!_'

Frenzy looked up at the ring of grinning mechs. 'You mean… I'm still a Decepticon? Even… after all this?'

'Course you are!' The assembled cons nodded, and Frenzy felt a lump rise in his throat. 'You guys… ' he gasped, feeling his eyes fill up. Skywarp rolled his optics.

'Yeah, alright, Frenzy, don't ruin the moment with _emotions_…'

Suddenly the crowd parted as Starscream stepped up to the table, and Frenzy's grin faded, he looked down at his feet. There was silence, only broken by the sound of the girls clambering onto the table to join him. Alexis placed a hand on his shoulder. He looked up as a voice rumbled overhead – to his surprise it wasn't Starscream's, but Thundercracker's.

'Y'know, Starscream,' the second-in-command said, regarding the small group, 'We all know what this means.'

Starscream looked as though he was trying very hard not to smile. 'Oh?'

'Yeah.' Thundercracker grinned. 'Frenzy got a woman into bed. I think that qualifies him as a convincing human.'

Frenzy gasped. Beside him, Sari's head snapped up and she stared, wide eyed at the Decepticon leader, like an eager child in a classroom, _willing _him to concede.

Starscream raised his eyebrows. 'We still have a week to go.'

'Well, yeah… but…' Thundercracker grinned and gestured to Frenzy as if to say _Just look at him._

There was a long silence. Alexis shut her eyes, the tension unbearable. All optics were on Starscream as he tapped his fingers together.

'Oh, fine,' he said exasperatedly. 'I know when to graciously concede defeat. Sari…' he growled at her, the words appearing to cost him - 'You have won our bet and are released from your obligation. I will surrender the research I promised, and Frenzy here will return to his Cybertronian shell _when_ I am ready.

Sari gasped in a huge lungful of air and emitted a piercing shriek of jubilation, grabbing the stunned Frenzy and hugging him tightly. Soon the three of them were dancing round the tabletop, Frenzy joining them in their cheers, leaping to and fro like a madman. Starscream snarled in annoyance, glaring at his soldiers. 'What are you looking at? Back to work!'

The Decepticons disbanded hurriedly, and the humans gradually calmed down, clinging to each other tightly. Frenzy looked up at Starscream, wiping his eyes. 'Thank you, my lord, thank you…'

Starscream dismissed his thanks irritably. 'You have work to do as well. Get out of my sight, the three of you.'

They descended the ladder, still chatting excitedly, heading into the human quarters, the ceilings having been replaced. Starscream watched them go, calmly picking up the rest of his weapons and re-attaching them to his arms.

Only Thundercracker stayed, watching his proud brother and chuckling. 'How does it feel to lose a bet, Screamer?'

'I don't know what you're talking about,' Starscream replied placidly, clicking his null ray back into place and flexing his arm experimentally.

'Oh come on, Screamer. You lost, fair and square. To a human. _Two_ humans!'

'Did I?'

Thundercracker stared at him. 'What do you mean?'

Starscream waited for him to figure it out, before sighing impatiently. 'Oh come on Thundercracker. Do you really think I wanted Sari in a cage for six months? I'd have ended up shooting her. And we know how many irritating questions _that_ would have led to.'

Thundercracker's mouth fell open. 'You never wanted to win,' he muttered.

Starscream finished replacing his fearsome weapons with a satisfied flourish. 'Now we have a week left on this mudball, and all the while Alexis' friend will be prattling in her ear about how exciting it would be to have a transformer shell, and poring over my research with her. A far more satisfying victory on my part than if I'd supposedly won, don't you think?'

Thundercracker turned to stare at the human quarters, before looking back at Starscream, dumbstrck.

'I always get what I want, Thundercracker,' said Starscream coolly. 'Eventually.'

* * *

Hope you enjoyed this. If you want to see something cool, type 'Starscream Drive-thru' into Youtube, to see SS's current voice actor Steve Blum giving us Starscream ordering a burger :D


	8. Chapter 8

AN: Hello all, this jumps about a bit, I' m anxious to get the plot going a bit for you guys, hopefully not at the expense of the writing. Enjoy :-)

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Chapter 8

"So. You're not going to lecture me on how dangerous this all is, then?'

Sari laughed, pouring more wine into their glasses. 'Maybe a year or two ago. But nowadays I know what a waste of breath it is. Besides… I actually think those lugheads will take care of you, believe it or not.'

It was the last night before they were due to leave Earth for Cyberton. Tomorrow morning the space bridge on the Autobot base would take the Decepticons back to their home planet, and from there, after some preparations, they would depart on Starscream's warship, the Portent. On an orbiting asteroid, another almost-completed space bridge waited to propel them across the galaxy, towards the sector Unicron was believed to be in. The amount of energon needed for a jump that far was astronomical, and once they arrived on Unicron, the Decepticons would need to mine enough energon to eventually get them home again. Alexis took a sip of her wine, hoping that Starscream was right about Unicron's ample resources.

The autobots had crowded round the main table, drinking and laughing with the humans. Starscream and his mechs were nowhere to be seen – presumably re-charging before departure. Prowl had made pasties, and the girls were digging into them enthusiastically.

'What are you going to eat on Unicron?' asked Sari curiously.

Alexis grimaced, and swallowed a mouthful of hot pastry and tender meat. 'Nutrient pouches, Starscream's got a whole crate of them. Everything you need to stay alive - tastebuds not considered. I'm gonna miss Earth's food so much…'

Sari looked left and right, before pulling a plastic bag out from her lap and tipping it onto the table – revealing a dozen or so chocolate bars. 'I thought so. Here, these are left over from Frenzy's taste tests.' She pulled Alexis' tool belt towards her, and began stuffing bars into any spare pockets she could find. Alexis laughed, almost choking on her mouthful. 'Sari! You want to get me into trouble?'

'Oh, psh. What Screamer doesn't know won't hurt him.' Sari pulled out a set of screwdrivers, scrutinizing them curiously before dumping them on the table. 'They don't look important. Here, now you can get two Galaxy bars in that free space!'

'Sari!' The girls laughed, each trying to tug the belt away from each other. Eventually Sari gave in, grinning. 'Alright, alright. So what have you got in there?'

'Medical stuff, some tools… y'know, whatever might be useful. There's also a pouch for my phone, it's all waterproof too, extra tough.'

Sari unzipped a pocket, pulling out a small paperback book, frowning. 'What about this?' She turned it over, eyes widening as she read the front cover aloud.

'"A Little Princess, by Frances Hodgson Burnett"? Uh… was that on Starscream's list of essential kit? Are you going to read the cons a bedtime story?'

Alexis snatched it, blushing. 'No! It's… it's my little indulgence. Paper won't show up as anything important on scans, and I want some escapism on those long nights in the slave quarters. It's a childhood favourite.'

'Fair enough! Weirdo.' Sari replaced the book, her carefree demeanour suddenly slipping. She bit her lip. 'Please come back alive.'

They embraced each other tightly. 'I promise,' said Alexis. 'It's only millions of light years across the galaxy to an unknown planet, to hunt down an unknown foe. What could happen?'

'I'm going to really miss you. You could be gone for months, years!'

'Hopefully not years. Anyway, you'll be busy transplanting yourself into an Autobot body! How's all that going?'

Sari looked up, her smile back, eyes sparkling. 'I'm trying to keep up with the theory, but it's complicated stuff. Bumblebee has been going over the files with Perceptor! Eeee! They actually seem serious about letting me pursue this! Ratchet says it could have huge ramifications for them too – apparently some of the technology could be adapted and make huge advances to Autobot medicine.' She sighed happily, hugging her knees. Alexis shook her head, wonderingly. Sari caught the gesture, a sly smile spreading from under her long fringe. But she stayed quiet ,and the two of them watched the autobots laugh uproariously, clashing energon cubes and swapping anecdotes.

* * *

The next morning Alexis sat upright, having only got to sleep a couple of hours before. As the alarm rang throughout the base, she jumped out of bed, and crossed to the wardrobe, heart pounding. She pulled on underwear then the close-fitting lightweight black suit, zipping it up all the way. With fingers trembling ever so slightly, she pulled on sturdy black boots that came up over the thighs, zipping them up also. Last to go on was her toolbelt, clipped round the waist, the pouches hanging down and hugging her hips. She took a long, slow breath as she looked in the mirror. As an afterthought, she undid a silver chain from round her neck, and slipped off her rings. The necklace she slipped into an envelope and scrawled: _To Sari – look after this til I get back!_ That done, she cast an anxious look round for anything she'd forgotten, but luggage was not really an option for this adventure. She'd been allowed to fill a storage container with some items of food, spare items of clothing and other treats and supplies she wanted – that had been loaded onto Long Haul last night.

* * *

Starscream fought to contain his impatience as Thundercracker entered the coordinates for Cybertron. Already his mind was on final preparations, and the task that lay ahead. He had learnt a lot about what they were to face, but not enough, not nearly enough. Somewhere out there was an incredible force that had almost destroyed him, and almost destroyed Cybertron… Rage roared through him like a waterfall rushing into an empty cave and he flexed his wings agitatedly. The rage was good. It fueled his resolve and he held onto it, nursed it. 'Hurry up, Thundercracker!'

'Working on it,' replied Thundercracker calmly, typing rapidly into the monitor, fully accustomed to Starscream's outbursts. All the Decepticons stood at the entrance to the long tunnel, as the power build-up began to hum, flickering green light dancing off the curved walls. Starscream looked round, and Alexis had arrived behind him, giving him a taut smile. She looked as tense as he felt. They were journeying into the unknown, and now that the moment had arrived the mood amongst the Decepticons was sober.

The space bridge finally on-lined, with a burst of blinding light. The sounds of transformation filled the tunnel.

* * *

_Refinery_ _EN-0285, Secondary Crust level 1, Cybertron._

'Okay, miserable insect filth,' Breakdown the overseer roared. 'Your lord and master, Starscream, is paying you a special visit. Why anyone would want to gaze upon your sorry hides is anyone's guess, particularly one as illustrious as him, but it's not our place to question now is it? I said, _is it?_' he roared, as assorted chatterings, clickings, shrieks and whoops filled the dingy hall.

Five hundred Insecticons had been selected and set aside, with spotless discipline records and high production statistics. They were still very young, and stunted due to the slave diet of low grade – the average height of these Insecticons being between merely ten and fifteen feet. 'No, no! Not our placcce, not our placcce…' they clicked and sighed, fidgeting and chattering restlessly.

Breakdown sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose as the Insects tried to form shabby ranks, bumping into each other, whispering and spitting. 'No… not like that! Look, _you_, stand there, and _you_, follow his lead! Primus! Look at the state of you! You want to be vapourised? And transform into upright mode if you know what's good for you! Lord Starscream hates Insect mode in his presence!'

The Insecticons straightened up, still whispering and clicking amongst themselves, their orb-like optics glowing through the gloom, craning to catch sight of their elusive ruler and owner, who never came down this far. Their short lives had consisted mostly of digging through rock and hauling unrefined energon in the darkness. Their days were an endless slog, each one identical to the one before. This visit was the most interesting thing that had ever happened to most of them, apart from when a few were chosen to fight in the pits or participate in The Run - a hunting ritual enjoyed by the senior ranks of the Decepticons.

The heavy doors opened, and there was a collective gasp from the slaves as Starscream entered, followed by a few other important looking mechs. Protocol and etiquette weren't high on the curriculum in the basic lives of the slaves, and they immediately began to chattering amongst themselves once more as the Decepticon leader slowly stalked to the front, joining Breakdown, who let out an exasperated bellow. 'SHUT UP!'

'I'm sorry, Lord Starscream,' he said, turning to the jet. 'They don't know how to behave in front of your supreme presence.'

'So I see,' said Starscream drily, as the young Insecticons whispered and pointed, tugging on each other's arms excitedly. 'But these can mine, yes?'

'They're the best we can offer, Lord.'

Starscream stepped forward, his narrowed optics appraising the gaggle, before straightening up. 'Get them ready to leave.'

* * *

The Portent was huge, and put Alexis in mind of a scorpion – it was wider at its prow, stretching and elongating towards the back, spiked and black, the length of several football fields. The interior halls were tall and dark, dimly lit with purple spotlights. After an hour on it, Alexis felt she would never find her way round the whole place. Their journey wasn't anticipated to be long: once they reached the orbiting space bridge, they would be transported within a couple of night's journey to Unicron. She shivered slightly and paused in one of the huge hallways, certain she was lost, when suddenly she spotted the archway emblazoned with the Decepticon insignia: Starscream's quarters. The doors hissed apart as she approached.

The room was a wide semicircle, the curved edge made entirely of tinted glass. Starscream stood with his back to her, his shape in silhouette. As she walked closer she could see what he was looking at: far below a slow procession making its way into the belly of the ship: supplies, troops, energon and the slaves, who had been arranged into smarter units then before under the watchful eye of their new superiors. Even from this great height she could glimpse tiny upturned faces with open mouths and curious optics, being shoved whenever they paused to gaze at the hulking ship. 'Hey. You sent for me?'

He turned, nodding curtly and making a couple of short strides to a brushed metal berth. 'Get up on here.'

She climbed up, seating herself cross-legged. For many people, simply going to Cybertron would be an unnerving experience, but Alexis had come to view it as a second home: accepted and familiar. This new journey though… the butterflies in her stomach hadn't stopped fluttering since the morning. The distance they were about to travel was incomprehensible to her. Starscream was busying himself with a handful of small objects, frowning at them as he turned towards her. She took a deep, slow breath, running her hands through her hair. They both spoke at once.

'Are you…?'

'I've got…'

She motioned apologetically. 'Sorry, go on.'

'Here are some things you need for our visit, to prepare and protect you better,' he said, opening his palm. She leaned forward curiously as he nudged the small objects apart with his forefinger. She spotted a thick, metal bracelet and picked it up. 'What's this?'

'A Summoning Cuff,' he said. 'You'll be in the refineries with the other slaves, but this cuff will show the overseers that you have special status and will be required to leave occasionally to tend to your master. When it illuminates, you show it to them, and they are required to allow you free, to come to me. '

While he'd been speaking, Alexis had slid it onto her right wrist, turning it this way and that to see the Decepticon glyphs carved into the metal. Suddenly it clicked shut, fastening itself tight, and she yelped in surprise. Starscream laughed indulgently, an unfamiliar sound.

'Well, you might as well start wearing it now. Watch.'

He touched his com link, and the cuff glowed orange.

'How do I get it off?'

'You don't,' he said sternly, but he was smiling. 'I know better than to design something you can easily wriggle out of. Now for the others: Your energy signature, oxygen regulator and translation chip.'

'Translation chip?'

'Turn around and lie down,' he said, making a circling motion with his finger. 'They're going at the top of your neck. And hold still.'

She did as he said, her face turned sideways on the cold metal. A shadow fell across her as his huge figures brushed her hair back.

'When we step off that ship, we will have our parts to play, straight away, Alexis. The charade will begin immediately. We will most likely be separated quickly.'

Something cold pressed against the base of her skull, to the right, then there was a rush of blinding pain and she gasped. 'Ow!'

'You'll be sent with the Insecticons and de-contaminated, then put to work. As soon as an opportune moment arrives, I _will_ come and check on you.'

There was a second pressure point, to the left of the previous one, and Alexis braced herself. This one stabbed into her neck once more and she winced, biting her lip to stay quiet.

'In the refineries I want you to use your eyes and ears. Get to know the superiors, the other slaves, look out for where shipments are being sent – absorb anything that could be useful. Integrate yourself fully. You are very good at that.'

'Got it,' she gasped, trying to ignore the throbbing in her neck. 'Is this the last one?'

He chuckled above her. 'Yes. This is your oxygen regulator, adapted and improved from last time.'

The last pod was pressed to her neck and she squirmed in pain once more, before Starscream released her head and straightened up, turning away to the monitor. Her hair fell back, hiding the pods from view. She sat up, grimacing, one hand wandering to her neck.

'Don't touch them,' he said warningly, without looking round. She smiled guiltily, letting her hand drop.

'Tell me about the translation chip.'

'Ah,' he said, sounding pleased with himself. 'Apparently there is a universal dialect of sorts on Unicron, so I don't anticipate problems, but just in case, you have a translation chip which will enable you to hear and understand most languages.'

'Sounds almost too good to be true,' she said. 'I don't mean to question your inventions, but how do we know it'll work?'

He turned back, smiling proudly. 'Oh it works. I just gave you your briefing in Cybertronian, and you understood beautifully.'

She sat up straight and gaped at him. 'No way!'

He laughed at her expression. 'Yes.'

'Are you speaking it now?'

'No, I've reverted to English.'

'Say something in Cybertronian!'

He spoke again, smiling shrewdly. The words hissed into her brain – if she concentrated hard, she _heard_ an unintelligible collection of strange sounds, but she _understood_ the English: _'Alexis is stubborn and overly inquisitive.' _She shook her head, blinking hard at the weirdness of it.

'That's amazing! And rude!'

He laughed.

'So… can I speak Cybertronian now?'

'No, although it would be entertaining to hear you try. Your vocal chords can't process the sounds. You can understand me in my own language, but we will still have to converse in English.'

'Okay.' She leaned forward, crossing her legs once more. 'What about if I need to contact you? Can I use my phone and call you?'

He produced her phone from the terminal behind him, handing it to her. 'Technically, yes, though I don't think it wise for you to use it often. A device like this, though primitive, would attract attention in the hands of a slave. Only contact me if circumstances demand it. I will make sure we have regular de-briefings. Oh, and I installed an energon battery. You won't have to worry about re-charging it. Ever.'

She smiled, slipping the phone into the front pocket of her hoodie. A chair stood beside the terminal and she gestured to it. 'Sit down a second.'

He pulled it up to the berth, taking a seat, lounging back. She tilted her head, looking up. 'You know Starscream… I'm going to miss you, on Unicron. I love our time alone like this. I wish we had more of it.'

She blushed deeply, it was not the sort of confidence she usually shared with Starscream, and she braced herself for a brush-off or a sarcastic remark, but to her huge surprise, he started to laugh, a genuine laugh filled with humour. 'Oho, Alexis! Rather late in the cycle to be regretting your noble resolution to assume slave rank!'

As he laughed some more, she looked away, embarrassed, but he drew her chin back with his finger. 'If this is how you feel, you know there is a solution, waiting for you. Waiting in the lab, down below.'

She felt her heart pound in her ears as his finger drew away. 'I can't,' she said, swallowing hard. He leaned forward, genuine concern in his optics at her expression. 'Why?'

'I'm scared.'

'Why are you scared? What frightens you?'

'Just… everything,' she said. 'The whole idea of it. I know you wish I could be more like Sari: find the whole thing exciting.'

He had the grace to look a little guilty. She carried on:

'If I'm honest Starscream… what it boils down is… Over the years I've gone from enemy, to slave, to friend… to… someone you seem to trust, seem to… to… value. And you accept me with my human frailties, mostly, anyway. But if I did take on a transformer shell… I'm worried that… that…'

He waited, and she chewed her lip, feeling a lump in her throat.

'I'm worried… that I wouldn't be able to handle all the changes, that I'd let you down… fail you. And the last thing you need on Unicron is someone that needs looking after.'

'I see.' He said nothing more, appearing to digest this information.

'Starscream?' He looked back down. 'Promise me… you won't… force me to do it?'

'I cannot force you. It would be too dangerous. There needs to be some willing to enter the procedure. You have my word, that in this matter, I will not force you.'

'Thank you, and I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…'

Suddenly the ship's intercom crackled, and Thundercracker's voice rumbled: 'Starscream, ready to depart. I'm on the bridge.'

'I'll be there directly,' he replied, and the intercom switched off.

'Go to your quarters and rest, those will need a chance to heal and settle,' he said, meaning the pods on her neck. She nodded, getting to her feet. 'Okay, sure.'

She reached the door, half hoping he would call her back with words of further comfort, but he had turned back to the monitor, their brief session of openness was over. She sighed, and headed for her quarters, looking forward to the wine that was waiting there for her, as well as a hot shower and soothing music.


	9. Chapter 9

Hello all! Theres a little geek-out and a link at the bottom of this chapter, just something I want to share with you guys. Thank you for your reviews and PMs! Enjoy :-)

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_"The fact was, however, that she was always dreaming and thinking odd things and could not herself remember any time when she had not been thinking things about grown-up people and the world they belonged to. She felt as if she had lived a long, long time. " __A Little Princess, Frances Hodgson Burnett._

Chapter 9

The Portent hovered silently in front of the space bridge – a spindly, frail-looking ring perched on a craggy asteroid. Alexis had been put in charge of monitoring energon feeds during the jump. Next to her console was a window, and she stared down at Cybertron, awestruck. From space it still bore the scars of the wars that had rocked it for centuries – but now there were large, gleaming patches where it had been painstakingly restored. Far away, almost beyond sight, was the glimmering spread of lights spidering out across the planet's surface – the Autobot's new colony. She smiled, wishing they were coming to Unicron with the Decepticons, but that was a little too much to hope for. The Autobots had shown interest in Starscream's objective to hunt down the source of the betagon – he had updated them and provided information should they stumble across any. It turned out Starscream's loathing of the Autobots was eclipsed by his concern for Cybertron, and even the Decepticon leader himself didn't want anyone else falling prey to its terrifying thrall, whatever faction. But the fact remained that the new truce between the two remained fragile, and the Autobots didn't have enough energon to make the jump, though Alexis knew they had begun mining new seams. She looked up as the ground shook, to be joined by Soundwave, who took his position silently beside her.

'Er… hiya,' she said nervously.

Soundwave looked down at her for a moment, then returned his attention to his screen. She supposed that passed for a greeting from the sinister communications expert – he was one difficult mech to gauge and she'd never felt totally at ease around him. Something occurred to her and she looked up.

'Um… Soundwave?'

He looked back down again.

'Where's Frenzy? Is he back in Darkmount?'

Soundwave stared at her for a long moment. _'Negative.'_

He didn't appear inclined to offer any more information and she turned back to her console. 'Oh… okay. Thank you.'

'_Frenzy is aboard.'_

Her head snapped back up.

'Aboard? Really?'

Soundwave pointed behind her and she turned, her face lighting up. For indeed, coming towards her was Frenzy, back in his robot body. The large command hall suddenly fell quiet as everyone else noticed the casseticon's arrival. He crossed the wide space, clearly unnerved by the many optics on him. Alexis launched herself towards him.

'Frenzy!'

She ran at him at top speed, leaping into his arms with a squeal, wrapping her legs round his waist and clutching his head tight, covering it in kisses. 'You're back!'

Frenzy staggered, falling backwards with a chuckle. She didn't let up as the pair of them crashed to the floor. 'You're back, you're back! And you're coming along? Whoooo!'

'I'm on probation!' he chirped, trying to sit up. There was a deafening roar of jet engines as Starscream arrived in the wide entrance, transforming into upright mode and stalking towards them.

'Damn right you are,' he growled, glaring down at the casseticon. 'You are only here because you will prove useful to Alexis in the slave quarters.'

Alexis leapt to her feet, pulling her friend with her. 'He'll be with me? We'll be Slave-Buddies? YES!'

'You put one servo… just _one servo_ out of line, and you're history,' growled Starscream, bending over the nervous casseticon as Alexis bounced happily beside him on the balls of her feet. 'If you irritate me at all, just slightly, I won't hesitate to cook you alive with my laser. Are we clear?'

'Clear, Lord Starscream, your eminence!' squeaked Frenzy. Alexis linked her arm in his with a happy sigh. 'This trip just got ten times better! How does it feel to be back in robot form?'

Frenzy stood rigid as Starscream stalked away, until he felt the jet was at a safe distance and relaxed. 'Really good! Great! It was really quick and I hadn't realized how much I missed it! It feels good to be less… squishy again, no offence! Not that it wasn't fun! But y'know… also, I think other cons seem to respect me a little bit more now! I dunno, it might be my imagination!'

'Frenzy!' Thundercracker boomed, striding over. 'So, you're back to normal! Excellent!'

Frenzy dug Alexis in the ribs, looking pleased with himself.

'See?'

He yelped as Thundercracker snatched him up.

'Ha! No need to be careful where we step anymore!' he laughed, tossing Frenzy between his hands like a basketball, before dropping him back down beside Alexis. 'Present company not included,' he added, his optics twinkling at her, before striding off, dusting off his hands. Alexis turned away, trying to stifle her laughter as Frenzy got up, 'Uh… well, most of 'em seem to respect me a little more… deep down… you know?'

The intercom above their heads blared, and they moved to their positions. _All Decepticons at their stations. Space bridge online, counting down…_

Alexis wished she could have witnessed the jump from outside the ship, but in the end it felt like a non-event: there was an ominous build-up of engines, then a slight blurr to everything around her, then… everything went back to normal. The jump had been a success, and they now lay millions of light-years across the galaxy, an estimated night's journey from Unicron itself. She couldn't even begin to process how far away they now were, from everything she'd ever known. Every time it occurred to her she felt a shiver of anticipation run through her body. After she'd reported to Soundwave on the energon feeds, she'd come to her quarters and flopped on the soft bed, savouring the last slice of normality, and most likely the last time she would be warm and comfortable, for a good while. She pulled out her book, hugging a pillow and immediately immersing herself in the fictional world of Sara Crewe.

The peaceful experience was to last all of five minutes.

* * *

On the bridge Starscream stared out at the blackness of space, peppered with billions of unfamiliar stars, his hands clasped behind his back. Behind him a few Decepticons were hauling in crates of energon and armour. There was a commotion behind him and he turned, frowning. 'What is it?'

One of the mechs was turning a grey and green motorcycle over in his hands, puzzled. 'Hey. Whose is this?'

Starscream leaned in closer… then with a snarl of recogntion he drew back, unsheathing his weapons… the motorcycle was falling to the ground, transforming as it fell…

Arcee straightened up, rotating her neck to ease the cramp, to find herself on the bridge, surrounded by a ring of stunned Decepticons. Her gaze found Starscream's cockpit, and traveled up to his enraged face. 'Hm. Awkward.'

They both leapt at once – Arcee sideways, barreling through the ring of Decepticons, Starscream lunging at her with a roar, his hand going to his com link. 'Autobot stowaway! Decepticons to the bridge, now, NOW!'

Arcee pirouetted nimbly, spinning and ducking, firing off her weapons rapidly as the Decepticons attacked. One burly dark brown mech succeeded in wrapping his arms around her in a crushing grip, but with a growl she wriggled out of it, stamping down on his foot with her spurs. Starscream wasted no time, blocking her as she ran and grabbing her throat, but she fired into his optics and he let go, grimacing in pain – she'd upgraded her weapons. He didn't take long to recover, running towards the sound of her feet. Arcee reached the doorway, still firing behind her, before turning and running smack into Thundercracker. He stared down at her, his mouth opening in shock, but before he could speak she delivered an almighty punch to his jaw, ducking under his arm. She leapt towards a storage lift which led to the bowels of the ship, and slid down it. The hole was too small for any of them to follow her, and Starscream cursed, transforming into jet mode, his engines screaming as he shot down the passage, knocking over several shocked drones in his path.

A few floors down, Arcee crashed onto a pile of empty energon cubes, struggling out of them and staring around her - she'd landed in the waste disposal. She quickly found the exit hatch and wriggled out into the corridor, her scans searching rapidly… if her stolen blueprints were right, the escape pods were down _here_… she transformed into bike mode and zoomed down the empty passage… suddenly crashing into something hard that shot out in front of her.

Rolling over several times she unfolded and got up, spotting Starscream stalking towards her, his guns ready to fire. She lunged for a pod, opening it and sliding in, the door sealing itself. Starscream's fist slammed into the glass and his red optics glowered at her as she typed co-ordinates into the small computer.

She turned round with a flourish as the pod's seals began working free one by one, the pod shaking as Starscream hammered on it.

'Thanks for the free ride, Screamer!' she hollered. 'I'll take it from here! Consider us even – I saved your life with the Disperse Virus, you gave me a lift! See you on Unicron!'

Starscream bellowed with rage at the use of his nickname – no one called him that to his face and got away with it except his wingbrothers. He fired several rounds into the door and surrounding clamps… but the pod was designed to survive such things, shot free and in moments was a tiny speck in space, before the outer seals closed.

Starscream strode back onto the bridge, seething with fury, swiping aside several loitering mechs. Thundercracker stood rubbing his jaw in wonder. 'She sure packs a punch… how'd she get on board? '

Skywarp ran up to join them. 'Did you catch her?'

'What does it look like?' Starscream roared. 'You bunch of _incompetents!_ Gather everyone together! Now!' He strode to the doorway, touching his com link once more. 'ALEX-IIIIIIS! COME HERE!'

* * *

Starscream paced in front of his assembled Decepticons – even the slaves had been brought out from the brig and stood nervously down the far end, cringing with every step the Decepticon leader made, his optics narrowed with fury. No one dared speak or move a muscle. Alexis hurried into the command hall, her feet bare, having not even stopped to pull her shoes on. Her ears were still ringing from Starscream's enraged bellow that came through the intercom in her quarters. She caught Frenzy's optics and mouthed _What__'__s going on?_ But Frenzy knew better than to reply, shrugging hopelessly.

'How did an Autobot stow away on my ship, undetected? Hm?'

Starscream's mouth was pinched in an ugly scowl, his optics sweeping over his men as he stalked back and forth.

'_Someone answer me!_'

'Her energy signature was…'

Starscream whipped round towards Blackout, who had spoken. He faltered under the jet's glare, but continued. 'Her energy signature was dampened, my Lord. No one could detect anything odd. Autobot tech is better than it was.'

'How is it that I command the most fearsome and efficient fighting force in the galaxy, yet I can't rely on my men to ensure a clean ship?'

Alexis' eyes widened. _An Autobot stowaway?_ She looked up at the other Decepticons, but they stood rigidly to attention, silent.

'Maybe someone let them on?' said Starscream softly. He suddenly lunged towards the Insecticons. 'Was it one of you?'

'No, master!' they squeaked, clicking their feelers agitatedly. With a snarl of disgust, Starscream turned his back on them, prowling down the ranks. 'Was it you?'

'No, my Lord!'

'Or you?'

'No, Lord Starscream!'

Starscream reached the end of the line, pausing in front of Alexis. He bent down. 'Was it _you _that let the stowaway on?'

Alexis looked up, her mouth falling open. '_What?_ I don't even know who we're talking about!'

He didn't move. 'I _don't know_!' she repeated angrily. 'Why are you picking on _me_?'

'Because you are friends with the Autobots,' he replied, his optics narrowing evilly. 'And you are disobedient. This is the sort of stunt you would pull, Alexis.'

'Well, not this time! Trust me! I'm taking this trip seriously – I would never do something so stupid!'

He straightened up, regarding them all furiously. 'Half rations tonight, for all of you,' he hissed, making a sweeping motion with one arm. 'Complacency is **not** to be tolerated! I want the whole ship searched for any more!'

He turned on his heel, stalking out of the hall. Alexis slowly un-tensed, staring at the jet's retreating back. 'What the hell was that about?

'Arcee snuck on board and then escaped in a pod,' said Frenzy. 'Looks like she's hitching to do her own exploring on Unicron. I'm on half rations now 'cause of her. Autobots, gah!'

_'Arcee?_' Excitement and apprehension jostled for space in her chest. No wonder Starscream had been suspicious of Alexis. She wondered if she would run into Arcee again on this trip. She was the only Autobot Alexis knew that would have the daring to sneak aboard a Decepticon warship on her own to get to Unicron. Alexis shook her head, admiring her audacity, even if it meant everyone on board went hungry tonight. She was willing to bet Optimus hadn't authorised _this_ particular jaunt. "A girl after my own heart,' she muttered with a smile.

Decepticons around her were slowly heading off to their various stations, grumbling about the half-energon punishment. Over on the other side of the hall the slaves were beginning to file out, but a small group of them appeared to be waving, trying to catch someone's attention. Hers? She squinted, and began heading towards them, hesitantly.

Alexis hadn't laid eyes on the Insecticons since the failed uprising, when she and Starscream had executed a mass betagon purge using a virus, which had fled its host, ultimately causing vast swathes of Insecticons to die out. All that remained were a small group of hatchlings, and they'd been hauled off to the refineries to be slaves - punishment from Starscream for their kind's treachery. Alexis had never felt comfortable around Insecticons at the best of times, but she couldn't help feeling sorry for these ones, who were suffering for something they technically had no part in. Looking over her shoulder to see if anyone was watching, she drew level with the small group, who had hung back.

There were three of them, and they all stood at roughly ten feet. They had the features and bearing of juveniles, but dented faded armour from harsh living in the refineries. One was slender and elegant looking, with two petite antennae on either side of its face, and large black eyes that blinked rapidly. Two long, shimmering wings hung down its back. The second was almost identical to Kickback, but smaller, and Alexis immediately felt a stab of hostility, followed by guilt at her prejudice. The third, lingering behind the others, was the tallest and widest, with clicking mandibles, and Alexis guessed he transformed into a beetle of some sort. She came to a stop. 'Uh... you wanted to speak to me?'

The slender one looked at the others, then spoke, and Alexis realised straight away this one was female. 'Yesss. Hello. My name is Dart, and thisss is Pounce -' She gestured to the grasshopper, then to the beetle behind her – 'And Roller...'

She had an intermittent hiss, and a youthful, feminine voice.

'Good to meet you,' said Alexis, still wary.

'Forgive us for bothering you, but you are the one they call Alexisss, yes?'

'That's me,' she replied, sticking her hands in the pockets of her jeans.

Dart nodded her head in greeting. 'We have heard much about you. Is it true you started out as a slave in our master's ranks, like usss...?'

Alexis nodded.

The Insecticons exchanged glances, Dart speaking once again. 'You give usss hope, that one day we may rise also in his favour.'

'Hey!' Breakdown stomped over, brandishing a dangerous looking prod that sparked ominously. 'What are you three doing? Back to the brig, right now!'

'Good to meet you, Alexis,' said Dart, smiling at her before hurriedly transforming into a dragonfly. She took off and zipped away, re-transforming gracefully to fall in at the back of the group. Pounce and Roller were less quick, leaping back and yelping as the prod stabbed at them with a nasty sizzling sound. Pounce transformed and zigzagged off to join Dart - Roller settled for a lumbering jog, rubbing his pained behind where the prod had zapped it.

Alexis stood watching them leave, Breakdown at the rear, yelling at the slaves to get a move on. That had been a strange, unexpected encounter. She turned round, and bumped straight into Frenzy, who had his arms folded, looking uncharacteristically stern.

'Frenzy! Don't sneak up on me like that!'

'You know that small voice in your processor that tells you something's a bad idea? Yours is defective, isn't it!'

He took her elbow, steering her towards the doorway that led to her quarters.

'What? _What?_ I was only _talking_ to them! And anyway, since when do _you_ have that voice?!'

Frenzy ignored that last remark. 'Whilst we're on his ship and he's in a foul mood, I vote for staying away from Screamer's least favourite bots, yeah?'

'Alright, fine,' she said grumpily. 'I'll go back to my bedroom and enjoy my HALF portion of nutrition pouch, shall I? I can't wait. Thank God for Sari and her chocolate bars.'

Frenzy groaned. 'Oh yeah. I forgot about that for a second. Slag. I'm thirsty!'

He brightened, slinging an arm round her shoulder as they walked. 'Oh well. Shall we watch Adventure Time and then shoot some zombies on your TV? Celebrate our last night of freedom?'

'Sounds like a plan, metal man.'

'Good. Someone has to keep you outta trouble, and that someone is me.'

Her head turned back to the empty doorway the slaves had gone through, as they exited.

* * *

A/N: Okay, so here's my geekout. I requested an autograph from Steve Blum, the great man himself who currently voices Starscream. He sent me a signed picture with a personalised message! For those of you who've read my profile, you'll know I'm a freelance designer, and sometimes it's hard to motivate yourself to get work done. Well, not anymore! Now I have a framed picture of Starscream above my desk telling me to get on with my work! Suh-weet! I've put a couple of pictures up on photobucket if you want to have a look. Am I saddo-geek-nerdatron? Definitely. Am I currently the happiest girl in the UK, ever? Yep! The link won't work here so I've put it up on my profile, please do have a look. Thanks Steve, you're a diamond!


	10. Chapter 10

AN: Had to upload this in a rush, so apologies if there are typos. I'll come back at some point to check it. Hope you enjoy! :-)

* * *

Chapter 10

The summoning cuff buzzed and illuminated on her wrist and Alexis raised her head, blinking sleepily. Yawning, she slid out of bed, her hair dishevelled, stretching in the oversized jumper and leggings she reserved for bed. She pulled on a soft pair of knitted slippers and padded to the door in the gloom, passing Frenzy, who had transformed into storage mode for re-charge, a panel on his front pulsating softly. it was the middle of the night, or whatever passed for night in deep space. The ship was almost silent, only the faint thrum of the engines could be heard.

She stepped out into the corridor, and headed for the bridge, the cuff still glowing.

Starscream was alone, staring once again out at the star sprinkled blackness. She approached the panel, another yawn signalling her arrival. 'Hey. You sent for me?'

He leant down, offering his palm, and she climbed on as he raised her up. She stepped onto the panel, settling down cross-legged.

'Still mad at me?'

He was silent for a moment. 'Soundwave carried out an audit of all activity before boarding. It would appear Arcee managed to creep aboard unaided.'

He lowered a square parcel on his palm, and Alexis leant forward, catching the scent of cooked chicken - it was one of the ready-meals she had packed into the storage container, piping hot and ready to eat. There weren't enough for her to eat them every day, just to occassionally stop her from going insane on a diet of the unsavoury nutrition pouches. Saliva rushed into her mouth and her empty stomach gurgled - the half portion of tasteless goo had been a few hours ago. She supposed this was his way of apologising to her. After staring at it for a few moments longingly, she shook her head.

'No, it doesn't seem fair when everyone else on board is going without tonight. I don't want special treatment, it'll only cause resentment.'

He sighed. 'On reflection, between ourselves, it was... a poor command decision, to restrict rations right before we land on an unknown planet,' he murmured. 'I'll arrange for everyone to have extra tomorrow. Now please, take it.'

After a pause, she reached for it, peeling back the foil lid and picking out a juicy, glistening piece of chicken. 'Oh wow. Come to mama...'

She looked up between bites. He was tapping his chin with one finger, pensively, still staring out into space.

'Are you going to search for Arcee?' she asked, apprehensive. He let out a low, ill tempered growl.

'We have more pressing matters to think of, fortunately for her. If I happen to run into her, I'm sorely tempted to inform her of my... displeasure...'

She returned to her meal, relieved. 'Thanks for letting Frenzy come along.'

He grunted moodily. 'Little scrap-bucket can sometimes come in useful. If I could send you down there with an army of protectors, I would. Frenzy will have to do.'

'I talked to your slaves today, your real slaves, I mean,' she said, chasing the last bit of gravy round the foil box with a piece of chicken before licking her fingers. This made him look down, a look of cool curiosity on his face. 'Oh?'

'You know, they actually seem to like you,' she said. 'They said I gave them hope that one day they could rise up again in your estimations.'

He laughed. 'Stranger things have happened. Those insects have a long way to go yet. Of course you will end up conversing with them at length in the barracks, I have no doubt. But don't stray from your objectives, will you?'

'What do you mean?'

'Oh, you know what I mean.' A knowing smile crept across his mouth. 'You have a gift of drawing others to you, like a gravitational pull. I remember it from back when I first captured you. I don't want to come down there and see hundreds of Insecticons following you around like pathetic protoforms. Got it?'

'You said my ability to infiltrate was useful yesterday!'

'Hmm.'

She put the empty container to one side, stretching out contentedly and propping her head up on one hand, her legs bent. 'That tasted so good...'

Presently her head sank sleepily down onto folded arms. Starscream's gravelly voice next to her ear made her stir as her hair was lifted. 'The pods are healing nicely,' he observed.

'Mmm,' she replied, on the verge of dozing off.

He straightened up to his full height, looking down on the young woman as she slipped into sleep right there on the panel, her side rising and falling gently. He smiled grimly. 'Look at you. So vulnerable. Why do you insist on walking away from me into danger when so vulnerable?'

She made an indistinct noise, drawing her knees closer to her chest.

'Stubborn, foolish human!'

But she didn't hear him, now fast asleep.

* * *

_She was being carried, tremors from slow, heavy footsteps resounding through her bones, her head resting against his chest, her body curled into strong fingers... she stirred with a tired smile..._

And sat bolt upright on a cold floor. Echoing clicks, hoots and squeaks assaulted her ears. She looked about her wildly. She was sat in the middle of a vast, dark hall, dimly lit, the floor scuffed and dirty. Long chains hung from the ceiling. On one wall towered columns of rusty, rickety cages. A red monitor beam surveyed them all malevolently above a thick door, securely shutting them in. On the wall opposite to the cages there was a low window running along the bottom of the room - the brig, she now realised. They were down in the belly of the ship. The long strip of glass was crowded with hundreds of Insecticons, all pushing and jostling trying to see out at something.

A groan made her look round. Frenzy was sat beside her, grumpily trying to re-attach a piece of his panelling. 'Frenzy. How did we get here?'

'Starscream chucked us in here, about an hour ago,' Frenzy replied peevishly. 'Well, not you. He put you down on the floor nice and gently...' Frenzy did a comical mime of Starscream placing something small on the floor with exaggerated care - '...and then he threw me in after you...'

He continued to grumble, sparks flying as he transformed his hand into a soldering iron, finishing his repairs. Alexis' hand found a soft bundle in the dim light - her boots and some plain, thin clothes had been placed beside her, along with her trusty tool belt. There was a pair of close-fitting leggings, and a loose, raggedy top, the colour of dirty water. She pulled it on - the neck hole was so wide it almost slipped off one shoulder. She got to her feet, zipping up the boots and attaching the belt. With her humble attire and messy hair, she now looked every inch the lowly slave. 'What are they looking at?' She gestured to the insecticons.

'Dunno.' Frenzy began to follow her as she wandered towards them. 'It's not right, the way he treats me. I mean, yes, I did steal top-secret un-developed weapons and sold them on for a profit, but we all make mistakes! Apart from that I'm a loyal, hard working...'

Alexis drew level with the back of the gaggle, and squatted down, trying to see through the waving limbs and feelers at what the Insecticons were looking at.

'...No one remembers the good stuff I did, like the time I fixed those main energon feeds. I mean, yeah, I was the one that broke them in the first place, but I did a stellar job repairing them afterwards!'

'Frenzy, shut up a sec,' Alexis muttered absently, pulling him forwards into the throng. 'Have a look at that.'

'...He threw me in like a piece of trash. _And_ it was an over-arm throw. Was that necessary? Was it?'

'Frenzy, shut up! Look!'

She had succeeded in hustling them both to the front, owing to their small size in relation to the slaves. Squeezed between two legs like children in the line at a funfair, they gazed out the thick glass, hands pressed to it. Frenzy's optics widened. 'Woah.'

They had arrived. Unicron lay below them, whorls and lines running over its dark red exterior, like an enlarged, tarnished version of Cybertron. It was night on the side they were on - Alexis wasn't sure it even orbited a star, so night could well be a permanent fixture. There were red glows emitting from it in several places - storms? Volcanos? It was massive, but clearly well-populated, lights showing life and activity crawling over the surface. As Frenzy stared, Alexis dug out her sheaf of hand-written notes she had made back on Earth.

'There's an atmospheric shell,' she muttered, consulting them. 'Good news for me, I won't freeze to death at least. No ruler to speak of, so I'm guessing we find somewhere to land and stake a claim?'

'That might mean a battle,' replied Frenzy. When Alexis looked anxious, he turned to look up at the Insecticons chattering above them. 'These guys are top mining stock, they won't be sent to fight. Waste of labour. And anyway, Starscream will scrap anyone that has a problem with him landing.'

They both watched as a formation of Decepticons shot past the window, heading down to the planet. 'A scout team,' Frenzy muttered.

Alexis shivered, the rough fabric of her top an unwelcome change from her normal clothes. She put the notes away carefully and zipped up the pocket. On her wrist, the heavy cuff sat, the glyphs gleaming in the dull light. Frenzy spotted it, and raised his own metal arm, showing her his cuff.

'Snap,' he said grimly.

She smiled at him, and raised her own, clashing it against his.

'Just like old times, Frenz. You ready?'

'I was protoformed ready, squishy.'

* * *

Starscream watched as the ship was piloted closer to the vast planet, a row of mechs monitoring the gravity pull. Skywarp teleported beside him, shimmering for a moment, inclining his head. Starscream spoke without looking round.

'Well? Where to land?'

Skywarp shrugged. 'Wherever you want. Seriously, this planet is stuffed with energon. Take a look at the readings.'

'Already have.' Starscream frowned. 'Very well, the sector below seems to have adequate room to accommodate us.'

A mech approached, bowing low. 'Lord Starscream. Forgive me, but I'm receiving an incoming call on the com feeds. Someone on the surface wishes to make contact.'

Starscream touched his com link as the mech transferred the feed to his own processor. 'Who is this?' he said coldly. 'State your business.'

An oily, ingratiating voice spoke on the other end. 'Lord Starscream,' it oozed. 'My name is Pillage. I'm contacting you on behalf of my master, Stormstrike, who has interests in the mines on this sector. We want to welcome you to Unicron.'

The word 'welcome' rarely meant anything good in Decepticon terms, and Starscream growled. 'Oh, you want to welcome me? My ship is more than capable of reducing you to a stain on the ground. We have your co-ordinates.' As he spoke he glanced at a datapad the mech passed him. 'I should tell you that your energy shield's firewalls are pitifully easy to break through.'

There was a shocked pause on the other end, then the oily voice seemed to recover, laughing. 'Oh, no, Lord Starscream, let me assure you, that one look at your craft tells any sane mech it would be unwise to engage you. I meant it in the sincere sense. Perhaps when you land, I would be permitted to receive you and your troops? I hope you are here to enjoy Unicron's vast wealth of resources?'

'That is my concern, not yours.'

'I will take that as a yes, if you don't mind. There is plenty here for everyone, plenty here if a hundred million more showed up. So you see, your Lordship, there will be no need for fighting. Merely an exchange of our aims is all I ask, and perhaps some information you may find helpful.'

Starscream exchanged glances with his wingbrothers, who naturally were listening in. 'Very well, Pillage. I will receive you upon landing. Any bright ideas about ambush will be dealt with, swiftly, by my men.'

'Your caution is commendable,' Pillage replied unctuously. 'I look forward to meeting you.'

He signed off. Starscream shook his head as if to get rid of an annoying fly.

'Well, he sounded like a waste of energon,' said Skywarp. 'I bagsy first shot.'

'Indeed,' replied Starscream. 'Nevertheless we may stand to gain something from meeting this Pillage. Skywarp, prepare for landing. You will be co-ordinating the disembarkation process, and supervising the adaptor feeds ready for the ship's transformation. Thundercracker, you'll be with me once the fortress is set up, see what we can learn from our... welcome committee.'

* * *

Alexis had moved away from the window, and sat against the wall, her arms resting on her knees, butterflies in her stomach. The closer they got to the huge planet, the more nervous she felt, and the restless chatter of the Insecticon slaves in the menacing setting of the brig didn't help. Frenzy flopped down beside her with a sigh. They were now cruising at a low altitude, the ground coming closer and closer through the glass... everyone in the brig braced themselves…

The Portent landed, with a rumbling tremor and a shriek of metal. Alexis grabbed a chain to stop herself from getting flung across the floor, grimacing as she held on tight, her head spinning. The Insecticons had run to the cages, whooping and spitting in anxiety, having never experienced anything like this before. Some didn't make it in time, sliding across the floor and hitting the far wall, screaming in alarm. For what seemed like an eternity the ship coasted, rising and falling in horrible nausea-inducing waves, until it ground to a halt, and all was quiet.

With collective groans, the slaves got to their feet. Alexis very slowly let go of the chain, letting out a shaky exhale of relief. But before anyone had time to collect their thoughts, the door shot open, to reveal Skywarp, his cannon hoisted into the air.

'Right, bugs,' he roared. 'Get yourselves into rank, now! Last one to fall in line gets blasted!'

The Insecticons squealed and ran, shabbily assembling themselves into order. Skywarp prowled along the lines, optics narrowed critically. Unsure of where to go, Alexis hurried to the back, Frenzy following her. The purple and black jet marched down, hurling various insults at the slaves, until he got to Alexis.

'Ah,' he said, thrown off balance. 'I forgot about you.'

He stared down at her, unsure of what to do or say next. Anyone who spoke harshly to Alexis risked a laser blast in the face from Starscream, and her position in the Decepticon ranks was by now so familiar to all that Skywarp clearly didn't know how to address her. 'Uh... you ok?'

'I'm good, Skywarp.'

He gestured with his cannon. 'If you want, you can leave by the...'

'It's best I stick with these guys, thanks, Skywarp.'

He nodded, and stalked back to the front of the line, recovering his fearsome demeanour. 'Right, you disgusting little low-lifes, here's how your vacation starts. You file off the ship and stand in rank until told otherwise. Then you start digging for delicious energon. You dig when we say, you stop when we say. You have low-grade when we consent to offer it, you re-charge when we allow it. Any questions? No, of course not, slaves don't ask questions. Isn't that right?'

The Insecticons chirped in unison as he paced. 'Yes-yes, Commander Skywarp!'

'You live to serve your master Starscream and no one else, right?'

'Yes-yes, Commander Skywarp!'

'You nobly work towards the furthering of the Decepticon cause, yes?'

'Yes-yes, Commander Skywarp!'

Alexis rolled her eyes at the back. 'Get a move on, Skywarp...' she muttered under her breath, shifting her weight from one foot to the other in anticipation.

Skywarp grinned down at them all, clearly enjoying the power trip. 'Now fall out, bugs!'

* * *

In fact, Skywarp hadn't been quite correct – their first job off the ship was to haul energon cubes for the higher decepticons, so the slaves all pushed crates of cubes painstakingly off the ship. Alexis joined Frenzy and a couple of Insecticons pushing a crate down the ramp. As they crossed the threshold, cool air hit Alexis' face and she got her first glimpse of Unicron.

A strange sky curved overhead – unfamiliar constellations spun behind misty orange clouds that moved rapidly over their heads. They had landed on a patch a bare rock, and as Alexis turned her head, she saw the Portent looming, listing to one side slightly, a huge gouge in the ground where it had landed and come to a stop. But away on the edge of a slope, she saw huge buildings: domes, arches, chimneys… lit with lights and teeming with creatures, smoke rising into the sky. Starscream had thought that there might be humans here on Unicron, and her heart leapt as she squinted into the faraway crowds, even now hoping for a glimpse of a familiar human shape, though they were much too far away…

All the Decepticons had trooped off the ship, and now some circled in the skies, guarding it from unwelcome attention. The ground beneath her felt warm and Alexis stepped to one side as a jet of steam blasted from a crack. There was a sulphuric smell in the air. She inhaled, her senses tingling warily for a smell of betagon, but there was no trace.

Starscream surveyed the landscape, optics narrowed, when Skywarp drew up alongside.

'Ready?'

Skywarp nodded. 'Everyone accounted for.'

Starscream turned back to the ship, issuing a silent command from his processor. The Portent began to move with a shrieking of internal gears… folding like a spiked black umbrella, growing taller and longer…

They all watched as it transformed, spires and towers reaching into the sky like grasping fingers. In less than a minute they stood in front of a looming fortress where the ship had been. Starscream gave a satisfied nod.

'We got visitors approaching,' said Thundercracker.

A squat armoured vehicle was coming towards them across the bumpy ground, followed by smaller vehicles. It transformed into a grey and black mech with a strangely square head that looked too big for its body. He walked with a slight stoop, giving him a look of toadying subservience. This must be Pillage. Starscream, who never gave anyone the benefit of the doubt at the best of times, found his processor flooded with dislike at the mere sight of this transformer.

Thundercracker touched his com-link, turning to Starscream. 'Universal Dialect being sent to my data bank, Starscream.'

'Scan for viruses.'

'Already have. Clean.'

Starscream nodded. 'Then send through to all Decepticon processors.'

Thundercracker nodded, and the language stream was distributed into the heads of every Decepticon. Starscream blinked his optics as the dialect flowed into his processor.

Pillage approached the waiting wingbrothers, nodding to each with a smile as oily as his voice. Behind him, the smaller mechs stood to attention, bearing standards with a grey and white lightning bolt insignia. 'Ah, Lord Starscream. The Universal Dialect is useful indeed. Consider it a gift. A pleasure to make your aquaintance in the metal. Welcome to Unicron. Stormstrike sends his personal greetings.'

'Personal greetings imply I would be honoured with your Master's presence.' said Starscream.

'Ah, I am his Lordship's personal herald and speak for him on occassions like this, when he wishes to reach out to other esteemed visitors to this world.'

Thundercracker's voice buzzed in Starscream's com-link: /'_In other words, a disposable lackey sent to make sure his master doesn't dent his armour.'/_

Starscream met his second's optics with the tiniest narrowing of his optics in a shrewd smile. Pillage had continued speaking, the silent exchange between the jets unnoticed.

'Our planet lies some seventy-eight light-years from here, we've been here for a fair few mega-cycles now,' he was saying. ' There are many, many different species on this planet, all mining the bountiful treaures Unicron has to offer. We have made this sector our happy home. But let me come straight to the point. Lord Stormstrike has his own workers mining beneath us as we speak. A very lucrative seam running some twelve-hundred depths. The mine is run by an independent overseer, Fallout. He takes on slaves from various sources, and each contributor receives a percentage of energon relative to the amount of workers he contributes.'

Starscream nodded. He was familiar with the model: many eons back, similar schemes had run on Cybertron, with workers from many different factions mining together, their masters sharing the proceeds. 'So. You propose that I pool my workforce in with the others.'

'Precisely.' Pillage smiled, inclining his head. 'I see you have brought a considerable number. They will be able to help us reach difficult deposits, and you will be able to take full advantage of the functioning mine already beneath you. You won't be disappointed with the rewards.'

'What about deeper than the crust? What lies in the secondary sediments, or deeper still?'

'Inaccessible,' replied Pillage. 'You would do best to focus your efforts near the surface. There's nothing of worth to be found beneath that.'

Thundercracker com-linked once more. /_'He's lying.'/_

Starscream's optic twitched. /_'Indeed._'/

Pillage watched the jets, rubbing his hands together slowly. 'What do you say to our proposal? We can process your slaves now, if it suits you, and you may settle in and watch the wealth stack up.'

Starscream regarded him for a moment. 'Very well.' The slimy little scrapper was hiding things from him, he knew. But a mixed mine and refinery would provide ample opportunities to find out more about this mysterious planet. Pillage was nodding and expressing his pleasure at his decision, moving forward to inspect the slave ranks eagerly. 'Wonderful, wonderful... I'll have their energy signatures registered immediately, and then we can begin the processing.' His optics wandered to Alexis, stationed near the front, and widened. 'Why, what's this?'

Starscream turned, regarding the young woman, still stood next to Frenzy. 'That's a human. Note the summoning cuff - she is not to be damaged. Understood? She is useful to me.'

Pillage was staring at her with naked curiosity. 'A flesh creature? I haven't seen one of those in eons. I'm not familiar with the nuances of their species...'

'You're not required to be familiar,' said Starscream coldly. 'You are required to process her and make a note that she is authorised to come to me when I wish it.'

'Of course, of course! Forgive my impudence... I will scan her brand and register her as a resource of particular significance to your Lordship.'

Starscream frowned. 'Brand?'

'Why yes.' Pillage looked at him in mild confusion. 'Your insignia is somewhere upon her form, I take it?'

'She has a summoning cuff and an energy signature,' growled Starscream impatiently. 'Is that not enough?'

'Uh... forgive me, Lord Starscream. I should tell you that... unfortunately, despite our best efforts, slaves without a brand are vulnerable to all sorts of mishaps - going missing, being sold, being unduly damaged... illegal slave-fighting is rife here on Unicron, and the very nature of your slave's rarity makes her a particular target for the dealers...'

Starscream clenched his fists. He didn't need to be told. During his long life he had seen it all - on planets like this where several species were thrown together in a boiling mass, the time was passed with brutal pursuits, namely hunting and baiting the weak. He had done it himself. And a mech without a faction to his name was a dead mech walking - a slave even more so. How could he have been so stupid to have missed this detail? Fury boiled behind his optics and he growled through gritted teeth. 'Alexis, come here.'

He watched her detach herself from the ranks and come towards him, her eyes wandering between him and Pillage. His spark ached at the sight of her, and what he was about to do. 'Lie down, on your front.'

She hesitated.

'Now!'

Hastily she complied, lying herself down on the rock, her hands near her head, her cheek touching the ground. He slowly knelt down, jerking his head at Frenzy. 'Get over here. Hold her steady.'

Frenzy jogged over to the human, staring fearfully at Starscream as he knelt beside her, taking her shoulders. Starscream reached down, pulling the loose, wide neck of her top back, exposing her left shoulder blade. Her hair felt soft on his fingers as he swept it aside. He saw that she was trembling.

He leaned down, his voice quiet in her ear, switching to English. 'It will hurt more if you struggle. Understand?'

She gave a nod, shutting her eyes tight as she heard the clicks above her: his hand transforming. There were a few agonising seconds as he watched the small shape heat up. Frenzy moved one hand to her head, keeping it still. Starscream's other hand came down, covering her body.

He shut his optics for a second, then opened them, pressing the white-hot Decepticon insignia onto her skin. There was a horrible hiss of cooking flesh. She gasped, then cried out as the pain assaulted her, squirming instinctively. He transferred more of his weight onto her to hold her still and felt her go limp, withdrawing the brand and flexing his fingers, transforming his hand back. Beneath him, she sobbed and choked, her breath coming in ragged gasps of agony. Frenzy looked anguished as the jet straightened up to his full height. 'Up. Get her up. Now!'

Frenzy helped her to her feet, her head bowed, one hand clasping the fabric of her top to keep it away from the livid burn on her shoulder. She limped back into the ranks beside her friend, and he could tell she was trying to supress her pain, forcing her back straight. With a colossal effort he turned away, addressing Pillage, his face a mask of indifference. 'I trust that will resolve any potential issues.'

'Very nicely,' Pillage replied, watching her go. 'What a frail specimen.'

_I'll show you the meaning of frail specimen, when I wrench out your spark, you low-down piece of filth._

Out loud he said: 'Is that all?'

'For now, yes!' Pillage said brisky, smiling widely and nodding at the jet. 'Though I am sure my master will want to make your acquaintance very soon. I'll arrange to have you escorted...'

'No, no, I _insist_ on hosting him as soon as possible,' replied Starscream. 'As a thank-you for his consideration and assistance. Perhaps in two cycles he would honour me with his presence here?'

'I will pass the message on,' replied Pillage bowing.

The other mechs began to move forward, hustling the slaves away from the transformed Portent towards a sloping shaft entrance, Alexis stumbling in their midst. Starscream didn't look back, turning sharply and marching into the fortress. Thundercracker followed behind him.

'She'll be alright, Screamer, she's as tough as...'

'Don't speak to me of what just happened,' spat his brother, his fists clenched once more. 'Don't you _dare_ speak of it, if you don't want your circuits fried.'

Thundercracker bit his lip components, swiftly changing the subject. 'So what now? We scrap this Stormstrike when he arrives?'

Starscream strode into the throne room of the newly assembled fortress, seating himself, scowling deeply. 'Tempting, but no. We play at diplomacy. We watch and wait, and receive him and any other delegates he brings along. We may yet find him useful. But in the meantime, I want you to scout out his faction. Bring me back someone unimportant, who won't be missed. Someone who can tell me everything that little dirt-pipe Pillage kept back.'

Thundercracker smiled grimly. 'Understood, leader.'


	11. Chapter 11

Hello my lovelies. Wooo spring is finally here in England! I can stop shivering in big hoodies and get some SUN! So I'm happy. Thanks for the reviews and comments, I'm dead chuffed as ever. Enjoy the latest chapter. :-)

Chapter 11

Arcee stood from her discreet vantage point, watching Alexis and the slaves get hustled underground, into a gaping hole in the side of the slope. She had sped across Unicron's surface now for an entire orbital cycle. She knew she must have only covered a tiny portion of this vast planet, yet she could confidently sum it up in one word: chaotic. The planet was crowded with pits and refineries, markets, shanty towns, fighting arenas… there were vast canyons, rivers, underground caves, and sprawling cities that had been built in a hurry, crowded with thousands of species – even Arcee couldn't name them all. Already she had collected enough samples to start a new library on Cybertron. The thrill of exploration was coursing through her – not for eons had she encountered a planet like this. It was a neverland of resources and strange terrains.

Yet danger lurked here too. Twice she had been ambushed, in the space of only a few hours. The first time she had been approached by a shady group of Junkion pirates asking her to join their group. When she had refused they attacked – but most of them were overloaded on energon and she had left them twitching on the ground in pain. Piece of cake. The second attack had shaken even her: a towering mech had side-stepped out of a dark alley, flinging a foul-smelling liquid into her face – in all likelihood a drug. She had dodged most of it, luckily, and sped off, only managing to lose him after a rapid chase through a repair market. She suspected he'd had plans for her involving a 'spark den' – an underground brothel, where femmes were kept chained and constantly under-energised, in order to cater to the tastes of refinery workers or soldiers. She shuddered. She was going to need all her wits about her on this sphere.

The Portent, now transformed into a formidable fortress, lay on an adjacent slope to her, higher up. She cursed internally at allowing herself to get caught on board – she was relying on the Decepticons to get her home, and it would be much harder to sneak aboard now they knew of her presence.

On reflection, she would have been better submitting to them when she had been discovered – they may have thrown her in the brig and she would have had to have endured Starscream's gloating and insults, but she might have been able to negotiate something with the ill-tempered Decepticon leader, especially with Alexis as an ally.

But her pride and impulsivity had won out, so here she was, alone again. How she liked it, she reminded herself. The last thing she needed was for Starscream to be laying down conditions and restrictions on her. This way was better, and as for getting home… she would cross that bridge when she came to it.

She checked her energy shield, and began her approach towards the hulking Decepticon fortress. Most of her enemies had gone back inside. No harm in doing some snooping and seeing what the Decepticons were up to.

At the base of the towering structure she flattened herself to the black walls, her audios picking up a faint clicking sound behind the next corner. She frowned, readying her weapons. The energy signature was foreign, so not a Decepticon. Stealthily, she slid round, spotting a kneeling mech, grey and black, with a square, oversized head. He had his back to her, fussing and muttering over a set of wires and a slim duo-pod, the kind that attached to walls. Surveillance equipment.

'You do realize the Decepticons will never fail to notice such basic spy-tech?'

The mech wheeled round with a snarl, springing to his feet. Arcee leaned against the wall, an amused smile on her face as he looked her up and down. An ugly expression covered his face… but he mastered himself, replacing it with an oily smile, his optics flicking to her autobot insignia.

'Ah, an outsider,' he said, stepping towards her. 'My name is Pillage.'

'I know. I saw you toadying to Starscream.'

'Ah, so you know him?' Pillage took a step closer. His weapons were sheathed, but Arcee spotted his left hand behind his back, hiding a readied gun. 'A friend of yours, or foe? Hmm?'

She said nothing as he drew closer, invading her personal space, a lascivious leer on his ugly features. 'Foe, I'm guessing, by the way you sneak around here.'

'He does collect foes rather easily,' replied Arcee. 'If I were you, I'd avoid getting on his list. Not many bots who try to get one over on him live to tell the tale.' She gestured to his surveillance kit.

'So, you not only know him… you know plenty.' Pillage rubbed his chin, musingly. 'I tell you what, femme. How about an exchange of information? You tell me everything about these new Decepticons, and I'm sure there's something we can give you in return?'

Arcee looked up into his optics steadily. 'You promise much for a small timer.' He looked enraged, and she saw she had touched a sore spot. 'I don't think you have the authority to promise me anything. A herald who scrabbles around with inferior tech is not one who can guarantee me anything useful. Good luck with your spying. You're going to need it.' She made as if to step around him, but he grabbed her neck, slamming her back against the wall. She growled, momentarily stunned, unsheathing her gun and punching him under the chest plate, following it with a swift kick. He brought his left hand round, blasting the wall where her head was, but she had slid down the smooth surface, wheeling out from under him. A shot caught her side and she gasped, the sharp pain causing her to double up. Pillage crowed in triumph. 'Ha! Gotcha! You know, a minor piece of damage like that won't affect your usefulness down in the spark dens, pretty one…'

He advanced. She turned to run, bashing into a wall of metal, staggering back and rubbing her head. It was Thundercracker, looking amused, clutching a tiny black and silver mech by its neck. Arcee growled in exasperation. 'YOU!'

'Hi Arcee,' said Thundercracker casually, ignoring his diminutive captive who kicked uselessly, his high squeaky voice calling out in protest. Pillage stared, aghast, at the Decepticon second-in-command, making a leap towards retreat. Thundercracker was too quick, and shot at the back of his knee. He collapsed with an agonized yell. Arcee charged her guns as the blue jet stepped towards her, blowing the smoke from his cannon with a satisfied air.

'How's your jaw?' she snarled.

'Sore,' growled Thundercracker, his smile vanishing, and she straightened up with a grim, pleased smile.

'Good.'

Pillage tried to haul himself away, dragging his damaged leg, but Thundercracker placed his foot on the wrecked knee joint, shaking his head before looking back at Arcee, ignoring the pained bellows at his feet.

'Thought you could use some help down here.'

'Oh really? I had everything under control, thank you very much. You've got a spy here trying to snoop in on your ship.'

'So I see. We've met before. Starscream will be _fascinated_.' Thundercracker raised his eyebrows at the incriminating tangle of wires. 'A bit primitive.'

'That's what I said,' said Arcee, still aiming her weapons at the jet.

'You'd think he _wanted_ to be caught.' At his feet, Pillage moaned again.

Arcee jerked her head towards the small robot still struggling in the jets grip. 'Who's this poor scrap?'

'A guest of Starscream,' replied Thundercracker, as the little bot writhed, trying to prise his head free.

'Poor thing. I should shoot him now, save him a world of pain,' said Arcee.

The jet grinned. 'Mmm. I've got a better idea.' He raised the small mech to his face, who squeaked in fright. 'It's your lucky day, runt!' he boomed, shaking him slightly. 'I've found someone willing to take your place.'

He dropped the mech, who scrambled to his feet, scuttling away from the huge Decepticon as fast as he could, raising a small cloud of dust. Thundercracker leaned down, hauling Pillage upright. 'Come on, time to meet Starscream again and talk to him about your toy spyware.' He turned to Arcee, who still had her weapons aimed at him.

'How's your lone mission going? Found out much yet? We could use any intel you have on the betagon.'

Arcee laughed bitterly. 'I've shared enough of my information and my skills with your kind, more than enough for a lifetime.'

'Yeah, I've been thinking about that.' Thundercracker regarded Arcee with a small, ambiguous smile. 'When you and I combined to fight off those Insecticons… wow. We were some team, don't you think?'

'We did what was necessary at the time,' replied Arcee coolly. 'I can't say I enjoyed it.'

'But the way we moved together! It was inspired! You'd think we'd have been training together for…'

'Save it, Thundercracker. Are you going to capture me, or let me go?'

Thundercracker took a step towards her, his optic moving over her frame the way they had done in the bar on Lithone. There was something in his gaze that stopped her meeting it. His bulk eclipsed her slimmer body. His free hand came up, as if to touch her arm, but he drew back, opening and shutting his fingers. At his side, Pillage squirmed and moaned, limping on his one good leg, the jet's fist clamped round his upper arm. 'Do you _want_ to be captured?' His grin grew wider.

Arcee rolled her optics. She opened her mouth to shoot back a retort, when Pillage spoke with an agonized snarl.

'You… made a big mistake, injuring me! Ugh… I'll… be missed… Stormstrike will send his warriors to retrieve me! You just wait!'

'Excuse me a moment,' Thundercracker said politely. He swung Pillage round, mashing him against the wall with a derisive laugh.

'That's the best you can do? You know, I disliked you the moment I laid optics on you. You're a low-down, sniveling nobody who can't get in with the big boys. You sneak and snark, hoping for that promotion, but it never comes, does it, 'cos no one can trust you with anything important. The truth is, you're expendable. I can see, deep in your optics, that I'm right. No one will come looking for you. I would feel sorry for you if you weren't so obviously an odious little grease stain.'

Pillage stared at him, mouth opening and shutting like a fish, trying to splutter a response. Thundercracker nodded to Arcee.

'Well, I'd better get this slag-pipe to Starscream, see what else we can get out of him. You take care.' He turned to leave, but stopped, looking back at her. 'I got a feeling strength lies in numbers on this rock. You're no wimp, Arcee, but you're a long way from home, and I suspect we Decepticons will be the least of your worries.'

Arcee watched him march off, dragging the whimpering Pillage behind him, unfamiliar sensations battling in her spark. She shook her head with a snarl. 'Come on Arcee. Keep it together.'

She melted into the shadows, and a few kliks later the murmur of her engines moved away from the fortress. No one saw or heard her go.

* * *

The hollering procession ran underground, Alexis having to run fast to keep up. Running gave her an outlet for the agonising pain on her back and she concentrated on her moving feet, pounding the hard floor.

The gaggle emerged into an enormous space, bunching up and staring about them, Alexis hidden in the crowd of taller bodies. The underground cavern was like a dozen cathedrals all merged into one, though there was little about it that could be called heavenly. The walls were dark and streaked with the grime of industry. A black river flowed through the middle, the liquid dark and oozing, slicks of oil floating on top. The ceiling was held up with vast pillars, vanishing into the darkness when one looked up. Far above, rickety platforms were connected with bridges. Along one wall ran a series of pods, stretching up higher than the eye could see. There were smells in the air - oil, dust, energon... but no betagon, not that she could smell. As the group of new arrivals waited, Alexis began shivering violently and moving from side to side, wincing in pain, tears still leaking from her eyes. Her left shoulder blade felt like it was on fire, the pain making her whole back and left side ache. She twisted her neck, and could just make out the jagged Decepticon insignia. The skin was red and blistered, and in places the top layer was completely gone, exposing bloody flesh beneath. Her stomach churned and she swallowed back bile, looking away hurriedly, her head bowed.

All around her the Insecticons fidgeted and rustled. A hand came down onto her right shoulder and she flinched as a voice hissed in her ear. 'Are you alright, human girl?'

It was Dart, the elegant dragonfly Insecticon she had met on the ship. Her orb-like optics looked down concernedly. 'I sssee you are hurt. May I look?'

Alexis slowly turned to show her branded back, and Dart hissed. 'Aieee, that looksss nasty. I might be able to...'

Frenzy appeared at her side. 'Hey back off! _I'm_ looking after her!'

'Oh, just let her look, Frenzy,' Alexis gasped, her words coming out in a rush. The pain made it hard to think, to speak, to do anything, and she continued moving from one foot to the other agitatedly. Dart gently pulled the fabric away from the burn as all around them the slaves clamoured and yelled. Frenzy glanced between Alexis and the Insecticon. 'We can't trust her!'

'We are all in thisss together,' replied Dart calmly. 'I have some experience of the pain this organic is feeling, being part organic myself. I only wish to help.'

Reluctantly, Frenzy watched as Dart 's hand hovered over the burn. 'Thisss may seem unpleasant, but my internal coolant is a very low temperature,' she said, dragging a talon across her palm. A pale goo dripped onto the burn and Alexis gasped as the cold made contact with the raw skin. 'Pleassse give it a moment, I believe it will help.'

'How do you know that won't infect her, or something?' said Frenzy, looking unconvinced. Dart turned to stare at him for a moment. 'Do you propose a better alternative?'

They were interrupted as a massive giant of a mech approached with slow, heavy strides. He held a nasty looking prod which fizzed and sparked, and surveyed the group of new slaves with cold, uncaring optics. Any feeling or sympathy for his fellow transformers looked to have died in him eons ago. He was almost as wide as he was tall, with heavy armour and two stubby horns on his head. He came to a stop, and the Insecticons stared at a point above his knees, roughly at their optic height. The giant chewed what looked like a thick energon cigar, and disinterestedly consulted a datapad in front of him.

'You lot - you're the Insect slaves, recently arrived, Decepticon-owned, yeah?'

The slaves muttered in the affirmative, cowed by this mech's menacing gaze and deep voice. He spoke again.

'My name is Fallout. Whilst you're here, I own you. I own what you do, I own what you eat and drink, I own when you rest and when you work. Your master has sent you to me because he's relying on me to make sure you dig enough energon to keep him happy. Any disobedience or laziness will be punished, on his behalf. That clear?'

He didn't elaborate on what punishment would entail, but somehow there was no need – all optics wandered to the prod clutched in his thick fist. Fallout was joined by a number of thuggish-looking underlings, regarding the Insecticons with vindictive grins. Fallout spoke to them without taking his optics from the new arrivals.

'Funny lookin' little slaggers, aren't they? These are Priority Two, so not too much handling, yeah? I'm being paid to make sure these work, so save your fun ideas for the less expensive ones. It says 'ere I got a Priority One somewhere here. Who's that? Step forward!'

'You're up,' muttered Frenzy, and he gently prodded Alexis' arm, but before she could step through the crowd, there was a commotion some way to the left, and Fallout turned as a girlish voice called to him. 'Fallout! Baby! You've got new toys?'

Alexis watched as another transformer entered the hall. She was definitely female - taller than Arcee, and with a broader top half. Something inside Alexis recoiled with instant dislike as the femme prowled into the cave, a sneer on her lips as she beheld the slaves. She came to a stop, draping herself over Fallout, who acknowledged her with a grunt, though it was clear he was pleased to see her. Her purple and gold hide was shiny, but superficial looking – Alexis had spent long enough around the Decepticons to become familiar with battle-grade armour. Hers was cheap and vestigial - for looks rather than protection, and Alexis found herself filled with contempt. Everything about this femme – from her expression, to her voice, to her stance – screamed Top-Grade Bitch.

'Hey, Thunderblast,' said Fallout gruffly, and despite her pain Alexis fought a smile as he straightened up, trying to suck in his substantial sagging abdomen armour. 'Haven't seen you round here for a while. What happened to your latest project?'

'Oh, he was boring,' she replied flippantly. 'Promised me a load of upgrades, but he was talking out of his aft-pipe, as they usually are. I came to see how my favourite overseer is doing, and thought I could play with his toys.'

The last few words she adopted a pouty, baby voice, and Fallout chuckled. 'Got these little fresh ones straight off the boat. Some foreigner, name of Starscream. Ever heard of him?'

Thunderblast looked interested, surveying the slaves with greedy, glittering optics. 'No. But he must be wealthy and powerful to own so many slaves. I must make his acquaintance. What does he look like?'

Fallout chuckled. 'I dunno. You gonna get your claws in him, sugar?'

Thunderblast laughed, ticking off an imaginary checklist on her fingers. 'Wealthy, powerful, and a foreigner probably looking for a girl in the know to show him around. He ticks every box.'

Fallout laughed again. 'Wanna help me process these?'

'It would be my pleasure,' she purred, flexing her fingers and narrowing her optics.

Fallout looked down. 'Where was I? Oh yeah. Priority One slave, step forward!'

Alexis emerged from the crowd, looking up at the two of them. Fallout frowned, and crouched down, one finger reaching out and poking her.

'What's this? A tiny flesh scrap! Is this a joke?'

He was joined by Thunderblast, who leaned down also, her optics glittering cruelly. 'Priority One. She doesn't look it.' She snorted. 'Looks like one swipe would splat her insides up the wall!'

Alexis was roughly turned on the spot, her head pinched between two fingers and pushed forward, exposing the back of her neck. Fallout peered at the livid Decepticon insignia on her back, scanning it. The rays of the scan caught the energy signature pod at the base of her skull, and he blinked once. 'That's what it says. "Priority One, property of Lord Starscream, Ruler of Lithone and the Decepticons. Do not damage." What is she, a pet?'

'If she's a pet, then she must have done something _very_ naughty,' hissed Thunderblast gleefully '... to have ended up down here. No one of any value ends up down here. Priority One doesn't mean a thing, it just means we can't kill them.'

She straightened up, towering above the young woman. 'I think we're going to have a lot of fun together. Let's begin with de-contamination...'

Behind her, a mech had pushed a tall transparent tank on a wheeled cart. At the sight of it, the slaves muttered and fidgeted, drawing closer together. The clear liquid slopped against the sides, slapping onto the floor. Thunderblast's fingers closed around Alexis' chest and she was lifted up, her head spinning. Before she had time to think, she was plunged down into the liquid, the steely fingers holding her under.

She shut her eyes tight, instinctively squirming and kicking. The seconds ticked by endlessly. After a while her lungs screamed for air and she fought the fingers gripping her, trying to prise them apart. It was cold, which was blessedly pleasant on the burn, but as she flailed, some of it made its way into her mouth. It tasted foul and bitter, and as she was finally pulled out, she gasped and choked, her hair in her eyes, her ribs aching from the femme's tight grip. She caught a blurred glimpse of the huge hall, Fallout chuckling malevolently, Frenzy gaping at her from the floor... then she was plunged back under once more, the nasty stuff rushing up her nostrils and down her throat, burning her sinuses. Thunderblast watched her struggle, a look of immense, cruel satisfaction on her face, before pulling her out.

The soaked young woman was lowered to the floor, retching and gasping as the other mechs stepped forward, snatching up the squealing Insecticons and subjecting them to the same treatment. Alexis' eyes stung, and she gagged, coughing up some of the liquid onto the floor, She trembled all over, sinking to her knees. She had only been on Unicron half an hour, and already she felt half broken: the pain on her back, her ribs, and now the sick feeling in her stomach adding to her misery. She patted her tool-belt as she shivered: it was still there, and a quick check revealed nothing had fallen out. A clang beside her signalled Frenzy landing next to her, he got up, shaking himself like a dog, looking furious. 'Ugh! Fragging fraggers! You okay fleshie?'

He bent over her, looking worried. 'I didn't have time to warn you about that. That stuff is...'

He was interrupted by Fallout, stomping in front of them and flicking Frenzy back with one finger. 'No one said you could talk,' he snarled. He jerked Alexis' head up, and she was aware of a metal collar snapping shut around her throat. As he moved away, fixing collars to everyone else, she slowly groped at the heavy weight round her neck. Her teeth had started to chatter. 'Y... you've got...t...to be...f...fucking... k..._kidding_ me...'

Fallout surveyed the gaggle of slaves, dripping onto the floor, collared and decontaminated, with a nod of satisfaction. 'Right then, kids,' he boomed. 'You start work straight away. This half...' he swept an arm towards the far side of the crowd. 'You're going down to the pits, start digging with the rest. And this lot -' he pointed to the side of the crowd Alexis and Frenzy were on. 'You're up here, hauling the shipments and cleaning the extraction rods. Now...' he pretended to think, tapping his chin, an unpleasant grin spreading across his face. 'Who would be _small enough_ to climb into the refinement pipes for a spot of cleaning? Let me see…'

A shadow fell over Alexis and she looked up. Fallout grinned down at her, lowering a long rod that looked a bit like a chimney sweep, and a small spade. 'Here we are, fleshie. I'll be inspecting your work when you're done. Any part not cleaned to my satisfaction...' he lowered his prod, touching her collar, and Alexis yelled in pain, leaping back as a current shot through her. '...will mean more where that came from. Well, what are you all waiting for? That energon won't mine itself!'

He started walking away, gesturing to a couple of his lackeys to supervise them, when something occurred to him and he turned back. 'Oh, and welcome to Unicron!'

He bellowed with laughter at his own joke, clutching his sides and throwing his head back. Thunderblast smiled, draping an arm on his shoulder and leaning against him, surveying the slaves.

'Lord Starscream,' she said, tasting the name in her mouth, a calculating smile playing across her lips. She watched the small figure of the human girl hurry towards the refinement pipes, snaking along one wall. 'I think I'd like to get to know him better...'

* * *

Time wore on. Alexis got to work.

In her lifetime she had known true hunger, true fatigue. During the Decepticon Occupation she had survived harsh winters, buried bodies of people she knew, lived on one meal a day, learning to ignore the hunger pangs in her belly. She had been chased, beaten, threatened, and enslaved. Yes, even this experience wasn't totally new to her. Yet as she crawled on her hands and knees through sludgy dark pipes, scraping out the residue and throwing it into a tank, she reflected to herself that the years in between must have turned her soft.

She wasn't unfit, yet the work was backbreaking and after a few hours she was exhausted. Fumes stung her eyes and got into her nose. Her hands became filthy and greasy, and whatever she was scraping was making her skin itch. On her back, the Decepticon brand throbbed dully, and she winced every time it brushed against the inside of the pipe. Her hair dried in matted clumps around her face.

Hours later, she slid out of the pipe for what felt like the thousandth time, and tumbled onto the floor, slinging the waste into the tank, when she looked up at the sound of a horn blasting through the refinery. Slaves were trickling out of the entrance to the mines down the far end. Those with enough energy left leapt over the dark river, others simply waded through it, dragging themselves towards the pods.

Fallout stood, arms folded, glaring at them all. 'Come on, come on!' he roared, lashing at their legs with a whip. The young Insecticons were the slowest, squealing in pain as the barbed whip cut into them. Next to the pods were some energon cubes, containing misty low-grade. It was clear that there wasn't enough to go round, and a mad scramble soon ensued, all the slaves fighting over the pile. This amused Fallout, and he laughed unpleasantly as the starving hoards kicked and scrabbled to make sure they got a few precious sips of energon. Spotting Alexis wearily approaching, he tossed a couple of pouches onto the floor. They bounced at her feet, and she picked them up: one water pouch, one nutrition pouch. She tore them open with her teeth, pouring the sludge into her mouth, followed by cold water. At that moment it was the best, sweetest thing she had ever tasted.

Fallout was leaving, striding towards the door they had entered by. As he left, they clicked shut, and a heavy grille rattled down on top, shutting them all in. The entrance to the mines was similarly barred. The lights high above dimmed, shrouding the huge cavern in gloom.

Bed time then, or what passed for bed time in this place. All the energon gone, the slaves began climbing into the pods that lined the wall, skittering limbs echoing throughout the refinery. Alexis tilted her head back, but she couldn't see all the way to the top – the pods stretched on and on like a skyscraper. One thing was clear though: the lowest pods were all taken, slaves peering out at her owlishly. She sighed. Sleep would only come after a perilous climb.

She stood at the bottom, swaying slightly with exhaustion, covered from head to foot in grime, grimly contemplating the journey upwards.

'Oh, shit.'

She placed one hand on the bottom rung of a wide-set ladder that ran up between the pods, and started to climb, heaving herself up. The rungs were slippery. As she ascended, she passed slaves of all shapes, sizes, and species, staring in spite of herself. Some were laying on their back, staring at the ceiling, others had already powered down, mouths open and limbs splayed out. She couldn't see Frenzy. As she climbed, she kept an eye out for an empty pod. Pausing to look down, she could see she was already one storey up. No luck just yet. She sighed, and continued.

'What am I doing here?' she muttered through gritted teeth. The chattering and rustling of thousands of bodies sinking into grubby berths echoed throughout the slave quarters. She reached for another rung, her arm visibly shaking from fatigue. 'I must be… insane.'

'Other women my age…' she hauled herself higher, panting. '… have normal lives… Friends, boyfriends. Comfortable jobs… in clean offices. Going to baby showers and barbeques…'

She bit her lip, Jamie swimming to the front of her mind. They had been on a few dates, and things seemed good, but his busy schedule and moving back to Scotland hadn't exactly helped… and she'd been single for so long, it had been a bit of an adjustment… Coming to Unicron might not have been the best move either for a fledgling relationship… she hadn't even got round to telling him… what kind of woman did that?

She yelped in fright as one rung gave way, spinning to the floor below, and reached for the next with a tired groan, pushing her hair from her eyes. '…Yet here _I_ am, millions of miles from home… enslaved to a giant psychopath, up to my armpits in dirt… hungry, mutilated…'

'Why do I do it?' she muttered, finally spotting an empty pod and climbing towards it determinedly. 'Why do I go off with him, _every time_?'

'Because I pay better than the Autobots,' growled a voice in her ear. 'And you are a glutton for punishment.'

She jumped a foot and yelled in alarm, losing her grip on the ladder, but strong fingers behind her pushed her gently onto the concave ledge. She spun round, heart pounding. _'Starscream_!'

He tilted his head, the familiar arrogant smile filling her vision, his face close to the pod. She let out a sigh of relief and happiness. 'I've never been so happy to see you.'

'Those aren't the words I expected to hear from you.' He gestured to her back. 'Turn around. Let me look.'

'It's not that bad, she said valiantly, turning her back to him. He inspected the burn for a few moments in silence.

'I regret this, Alexis. I didn't forsee it. But it will give you an extra layer of protection. For that, we can be thankful.'

She shrugged, casually. 'I've known worse. It doesn't hurt that much.'

He knew she was lying, and lifted her chin with one finger, gazing at her with a proud smile. 'Brave, strong Alexis. Do you need anything else here?'

She lay down in the berth on her front, resting her chin on her hands. 'A bottle of wine. Or two. Hot shepherd's pie with buttery mash. A proper bed.'

He regarded her wryly. She managed to laugh. 'Worth a try.'

She peered out, tilting her head to see the far-off figure of Fallout, lurking near the entrance. 'Did he let you in?'

Starscream nodded. Alexis shuffled back in. 'I bet he was surprised. I don't suppose he's used to masters coming down here to chat to their slaves.'

'Well, he'll have to lump it,' replied Starscream imperiously. 'I'll do what I like.'

He leaned in closer, peering at her neck. 'What are you wearing?'

She blushed a dark red, scrambling up onto her knees, raising her arm to her neck to hide the ring of metal. 'An ID collar,' she muttered.

A smirk spread across his lips. 'A _what_?'

'A collar!' she bellowed. 'It's a _collar_, alright?'

He laughed loudly, an evil, rasping chuckle. 'Oh… how very cute. Why didn't I think of that when I held you captive?'

'It got put on right after I almost _drowned_ in a de-contamination tank! These guys make _you_ look like… Father Christmas in comparison!' she cried, the pain and misery of the last twelve hours suddenly bursting out in a torrent, her bravado slipping.

He chuckled, stroking her cheek with his forefinger. 'That's because when _I_ was your master, I considered it a waste of energon to let lowly fleshlings know the full extent of my cruelty. Merely stepping into a room often had the desired effect on your kind. I did warn you, human.'

She knelt, leaning into his forefinger with her eyes closed, realizing how pathetic she must look to him – covered in dirt, her clothes already ragged from the first shift in the refinery. She fell back against the wall, then winced at the pain of the burn, and settled back onto her front. 'I'm afraid I haven't found much out yet. I'm so tired…'

'It may take time down here. I, on the other hand, have made some significant discoveries.'

'Really? Like what?'

Starscream glanced away from her, but Fallout was loitering far off out of earshot. 'Unicron has more than one layer, as I knew before, but each layer is accessible via a Core Key. There are only a limited number on the planet. Naturally there is a race to find them. Those that hold a Core Key are able to go deeper, mining more precious resources. The Core itself is a powerful energy source, more powerful than anything in the whole galaxy. Whoever reaches that would be… invincible.'

Starscream's optics glittered, smiling at the thought of such a source in his grasp.

'But the betagon is surely lurking somewhere on this planet, too,' said Alexis. 'It won't do to come this far, only to get distracted by the lure of more power, Starscream.'

'Hard to resist, when you're as greedy for power as I am,' he growled without a trace of irony. 'But yes, you are right.'

'Huh? I'm right? Wow! This is a big deal! You agree with me! I feel we've reached a special moment in our…'

She tailed off, as he fixed her with a smile of withering scorn. 'Or… not…'

'Still,' she rallied. 'What kind of planet has _keys?_ Do you think someone _built _this place? Is that possible?'

'Anything is possible,' he replied. 'I also made enquiries about the other factions mining here. There are thousands of rag-tag bands on this planet trying to grab what they can, but few match the might of my army. I feel confident we could establish a stronghold here, and get to the bottom of this mystery without too much resistance.'

She looked up. 'And who did you kill to get hold of this information?'

He feigned offense. 'What makes you think I killed anyone?'

She waited, and he chuckled again, the low vibrations of his laughter running throughout her body. 'Oh, nobody important. Just that idiot Pillage we first met upon landing. Don't feel too sorry for him -' he raised an eyebrow and held up a hand when she tried to speak. 'Thundercracker caught him trying to spy on me with a laughable surveillance kit. He screamed most beautifully, submitted all the information I could have wanted. You'd better get used to it – it is, as you humans say, "dog eat dog" on this new world. And unfortunately for Pillage, I have a healthy appetite.'

She shivered as he continued:

'But I note your emphasis on caution. I am an impatient Decepticon, but I didn't get where I am today by blind pursuit of power alone. We need to find out where this betagon came from, and who put it on Cybertron. I am leaving you a sample…' he held out a sealed test tube, tiny-looking in between his finger and thumb. 'Keep that safe, and make enquiries if you encounter someone who may know more about it.'

'Got it,' she said, stowing it carefully into her tool belt. The waterproof pockets had survived the de-contamination bath, to her great relief, so her phone and other possessions were dry. 'Where are you going now?'

'I'm going to fly out, see what I can learn from the terrain. I will summon you soon. Keep your eyes and ears open, dear one.'

He turned to leave, and she was gripped by a huge desire to call him back, wanting to prolong his reassuring presence. 'Starscream! Wait!'

He turned back, looming over the pod once more. 'Yes?'

She bit her lip, searching desperately for something to say. 'Um… you've got a femme down here with her eyes on you. Just a warning.'

He blinked a few times. 'A femme?'

She nodded. 'Yeah, Thunderblast. She's a bitch. A gold-digger, by the sound of it. So, um… watch out,' she finished, somewhat lamely.

Starscream smiled, amused. 'How very interesting. Keep an eye on her for me.'

She huddled back into the pod, listening to his retreating footsteps. Down the far end, Fallout was saying something sycophantic to the jet as he swept out, before locking the refinery. Everything fell silent. But not for long.

As she was drifting into sleep, she heard faint noises down below, and looked out, to see groups of slaves emerging from their pods, to chat quietly on the floor below. She knew this was the sort of thing she ought to be investigating – if she got down there and circulated, she could establish herself, and perhaps start to find out more about Unicron, and the mysterious substance nestled in her tool belt. But exhaustion overtook her and she rolled onto her front, trying to ignore the throbbing burn as sleep claimed her. Tomorrow, she would do more, she assured herself. Tomorrow...


	12. Chapter 12

AN: Another update for you. Let me know how I'm getting on in the comment box! Hugs to you all :-)

* * *

_"I am afraid," said Miss Minchin, with a slightly sour smile, "that you have been a very spoiled little girl and always imagine that things are done because you like them."_

Chapter 12

The Portent bustled with industry, and the overall atmosphere was upbeat. Starscream's men were always at their most relaxed just after their lord had killed someone. It meant his murderous inclinations were sated, for a while, and their sparks were safe for another cycle. On this occassion that applied even more - Starscream had tortured and killed an outsider, Pillage, and word had spread throughout the ranks that not only was he pleased with the information he had gathered, but pleased with _them:_ it had only been a cycle, yet the Portent's huge cargo hold already groaned with clean, high grade energon fresh from the mines.

Starscream's wealth was increasing by the hour.

He sat in his throne room, his fingers idly playing with the remains of Pillage's crushed spark like a ghoulish stress toy. It was hard not to feel triumphant at their first cycle on this vast planet. His flight out had confirmed a rather satisfying fact - unless they were hiding very well, he saw no one to match his power on this planet. Although Stormstrike possessed significant forces. Starscream had done his best to view them objectively, but his natural arrogance allowed him a smile _–_ he could deal with them too if that was the way things would head. Time would tell...

Some of his smallest drones had successfully infiltrated the ranks of this Stormstrike, who was coming to meet him later that cycle, and their updates buzzed in his comlink:

_/Stormstrike is speaking with his advisors. He means to come to you in peace, lord, but there is talk of attack possibly later. He has an equal stake in the mine, and is angry about the number of slaves you have submitted. Fallout now diverts more energon to you, leaving him with less. The firepower of his men is inferior, but not insignificant. Pillage's absence has been remarked upon./_

That voice was Blindfold, the smallest Decepticon in the ranks_–_about the size of Alexis' hand, and relatively young. Starscream had adapted his protoform himself, and had made sure he was present at the mech's Awakening. Ultimately the most powerful Decepticons were the ones who Woke alone - if you Woke in the presence of another, you were irrevocably bound to them. Thus Blindfold's loyalty was absolute. He was currently nestled, expertly camouflaged, on the side of Stormstrike's helmet in his council chambers. Starscream smiled. _That_ was how you conducted surveillance, you idiotic rust bucket, he thought of his unseen rival. He opened his com link.

_/Good work. Stay put. Perform whatever checks you can, then return to me. Find out what you can about Core Keys./_

_/Yes, Lord Starscream./_

His thoughts turned to Alexis, and he checked her energy signature again. The coordinates glowed in his processor, a familiar, small pinpoint of light, deep beneath his feet. He thought back to how she had looked last night in the slave quarters. She was tired and hurt, her body already taking on a pinched look. The look of a slave. He closed his optics briefly at the memory of the burn on her fragile, pale skin. Her anxious voice when she had called him back.

Once upon a time he would have savoured her suffering like high grade. In the early days, when he had dragged her to his base as vengeance for her sabotage attempt, he had observed her misery in malicious triumph. He'd held her pathetic friends and loved ones carelessly in his cunning fingers, ready to destroy them with a simple touch of his com link. That delicious power he'd had over her had pained her more than any physical punishment, and for a short time her anguish and helpless hatred had been a source of deep, primal pleasure.

But now… it was all he could do to stop himself from striding down into that slag-forsaken pit, sweeping aside the overseer and scooping her up to huddle against his chest, to keep her safe. He pictured himself bringing her up here, and placing her into the stasis booth he had designed, ignoring her protests, to let her emerge in her sleek, new protoform. To behold her in her beautiful, dangerous body, to hold her for real, his arms tight around her...

The reverie melted away and he sighed. To force her would break her heart.

He wished he had never seen her in that way, in deep stasis. Why had she taken on that form for herself, only to deny him the chance to make it real? He shook his head angrily. It had changed everything for him. He, Starscream, usually distracted by nothing and nobody, in his pursuit of power. Now he spent half his time worrying about her.

Well, she was a Decepticon soldier, he thought, sitting up a little straighter, his features hardening. Suffering was part of the deal – Primus knew he had been through his fair share, bearing it all without a word as he rose up the ranks. Her pride, stubbornness and tendency to get angry in situations where others would be afraid was what drew him to her in the first place, she would have to cope. Enough of these thoughts. She had chosen this ridiculous path for herself, let her bear the consequences.

Starscream found the concept of shame difficult to grasp, but even _he_ winced a little at the next thought that crept into his processor… If she were to get injured in the refinery – _Primus, she would hate him if she could see into his mind right now_ – she would have no choice but to submit to his will and slip out of her human shell. It might happen yet. She would see then, how wonderful it would be, to cast off that frail, inferior body and step out beside him. If only her friend Sari's enthusiasm for the procedure had rubbed off onto her! But no, she was too attached, too proud, of her place in her species.

Reluctantly, he dragged his thoughts to the pressing matter of the betagon, and whoever sent it to his planet. Of course he hadn't expected to turn up and find it, just like that. But he was impatient for leads. Perhaps Stormstrike will know something. Alexis had instructions to contact him if she sensed it. He wouldn't be leaving this sphere without retribution. He drummed his fingers on the arm of his throne, letting the mangled, darkened spark fall with a hollow clatter to the floor.

There she was, in his processor once more. He wondered what hardship she was currently undergoing.

* * *

The subject of the Starscream's thoughts was currently jammed between the wall and a thick pipe, swearing under her breath, one hand digging into her tool belt.

That morning had been one of the hardest of her life. Fallout had bellowed them awake, and she had shot upright, immediately gasping as the aches of yesterday hugged her entire body. The Decepticon brand was still throbbing dully, but on top of that her back, neck, shoulders, knees all ached… and she was starving hungry and thirsty. She climbed down, stiffly, immediately noticing the cold down in the drafty refinery. What she needed was a hot cup of tea and a big, soft sweater followed by a nice breakfast. What she _got_ was a jab at her collar with Fallout's prod, and instructions to carry on cleaning the pipes. When the Overseer had strode off to hurl abuse at the Insecticons she had limped as fast as she could to Frenzy, to grab a hurried conversation before they were separated. The casseticon had spent the night down the far end and Alexis had lost him, but he'd turned up amongst the hordes, heading for the black river to haul more shipments. As she reached him, he groaned.

'Hey Frenzy.'

'Morning, fleshie. I would say Good Morning, but we both know that's a joke...'

His vocalizer slurred slightly.

'Frenzy, are you alright?'

'Hardly got any energon last night,' he'd grumbled, as they made their way to the river. Mechs were jumping in all around them, and picking up long mesh-like ropes, slinging them over their shoulders, ready for the back-breaking task of hauling the huge energon barge towards the loading bays. Frenzy walked slowly, with a stoop. 'Running low on... energy...'

Alexis bit her lip, looking all about them. 'Just hold on Frenzy. I'll see what I can find, okay?'

He looked up blearily. '_I'm_ s'posed... to be watching out for _you_… aren't I?'

She patted him on his shoulder, turning and jogging towards the pipes. The one advantage to her task was that it was isolated from the rest of the slaves, and the tangle of pipes leant themselves well to surreptitious deeds.

Like theft.

As far as she could tell, most of these pipes were out of use and empty: the ones she had been sent inside to clean. But round the back there ran a supply pipe carrying high grade up to the surface, for sample testing. She squeezed herself round to this pipe, and began running her hands over the joins, a frown of concentration on her face...

Some time later, and Alexis walked back towards the canal, trying her best not to look guilty. Fallout was on the far side, slouched in a chair, chatting idly to Thunderblast, who was leaning against the back and giggling at something he was saying. She suppressed a scowl of dislike, reaching the bank of the black ooze. A hundred slaves waded slowly though it, grunting and straining at the ropes, pulling the heavily laden barge along. Glancing up to check she wasn't being watched, she nimbly swung herself down into the river, the chill making her bite her lip. It came up to her chest and she waded through the bodies, reaching Frenzy, who was struggling to hold his head up, his hands slipping on his bit of rope. She touched his wrist.

'Frenzy, come with me.'

He turned to look at her, and she realised he had off-lined his vocaliser to save on energy. He looked up at Fallout, then back at her.

'If they say anything, I can say I need you to help me push the waste cart, it's full. Come on.'

She steered him through the river, and helped him scramble up onto the side, which was no mean feat, as he was close to offlining and weighed what felt like a ton. She hustled him over to the pipes, and guided him inside the tangle. The robot and the girl reached the back, and she pointed with a proud flourish to the supply pipe. As Frenzy stared at the spot where two sections met, a thick droplet of energon grew and grew, before falling with a '_thock_' onto the dusty floor.

'I made a leak,' she whispered. 'Go ahead, have what you need. Then I need you to bring me a load of empty energon cubes.'

His optics grew wide, and he stepped forward, slurping eagerly at the leaking energon. After a few seconds his vocalizer came back online and he practically purred with relish. 'Oooooh yeah... that's the stuff... more, more...'

She let him drink for a while, before pulling him away. 'Alright, easy there, Augustus Gloop. If you overload down here they'll notice. When you can, bring a stack of empties back here, and I'll keep them filled up. I'll hide it and we can share it out tonight when Fallout has gone.'

Frenzy stared, scandalised. _'What?_ We're not _sharing_ this! This is high grade! Can't we just keep it back here for me?'

She gave him such a look of dismay and disappointment that he looked at the floor, scuffing his feet sheepishly. 'Frenzy! Every single mech down here is under-energised!'

As she spoke her own empty stomach gurgled unhappily. She ignored it, and pushed her hair out of her face. 'Now, you'd better get going, before somebody sees. Take the waste cart away for me, would you? And bring back those empties, whenever you can!'

He turned to go, looking much happier than when he had arrived, when she called him back. 'Oh, and Frenzy, don't sneak back here to get more, not whilst Fallout is here. You're crap at subterfuge and an even crappier liar. Got it?'

'Got it!' he chirped happily, bouncing off to push the cart. She sighed, shaking her head, reluctantly returning to the empty pipes, hefting her spade. That was _them_ taken care of. If only she could get hold of something for _her_ hunger now…

* * *

Thunderblast inspected her fingertips, admiring the new coat of polish she'd had applied just before she'd arrived. 'So, you'll never guess what I've gone and got hold of.'

'What?' Fallout grinned, pulling her onto his lap abruptly. She squealed and giggled, before opening up her hold, and showing him the heavy object, glinting and pronged like an alien weathervane. Fallout's eyes widened. 'A core key?' Where in the pit did you get hold of that?'

She shook her head coquettishly. 'That's a secret…'

Fallout snorted. 'Some mech somewhere is nursing an overloaded processor and an empty hold, in other words.'

'Maybe. Then again… maybe not…'

Fallout looked down at the Priority Four slave currently digging energon dust out of his plating, his brow creased as they prodded at him. With an annoyed growl, he kicked it back, sending it flying into the canal with a panicked squeal. His optics wandered round the cavernous hall, and spotted the flesh slave pushing a waste cart. 'Hey! Priority One! Get over here now!'

Thunderblast watched through narrowed optics as the fleshling made her way towards them. 'You're not using _that_ to clean out your crevices?'

'Why not? Those small servos can do a better job.'

She shuddered. 'They're disgusting, and weak. Why she's a Priority One is beyond me. Her master must be mad.'

'I saw him, you know,' Fallout said with a grin. At his feet, the human girl had arrived, looking up. He barked an instruction at her to get cleaning, and she bent her head, her slim tiny fingers working into the plating and scraping the dirt out. Thunderblast's optics widened. 'You did?'

She slid off his lap, staring at him. Fallout chuckled at her behaviour, enjoying the experience of holding some information she wanted.

'And? What's he like?'

'Oh, he's _something_, chuckled Fallout. 'Seeker class. Big. And well armed. Nice armour. Got a real high and mighty air about him too.'

'He sounds dreamy,' purred Thunderblast, running a hand over her helmet. At her side, the Core Key dangled. Alexis kept her head bent over her work, but her eyes slid up, the key swinging in her line of vision.

Thunderblast perched herself on an upturned energon barrel, her face a grimace of distaste. 'This place is so dirty and uncomfortable,' she whinged.

Fallout placed his hands behind his head. 'Someone's gotta do dirty work,' he grunted. 'While we're on the subject... what are you gonna do with that key? Sell it?'

Thunderblast stowed it carefully away in her hold once more. 'Why? Are you buying?'

Fallout chuckled. 'I'm a miner. Why bother with a core key when my clients are falling over themselves to get one? Let them find it, and then I'll have access on their behalf. You'd be better off trying to sell it to one of them.'

They stared at each other, both alighting on the same idea in that moment. 'Lord Starscream!'

'It's perfect!' she squealed. 'I'll go to this Starscream with a core key, and offer to exchange it for something. With a bargaining chip like this, how could he resist me?'

'What happened to Stormstrike?' laughed Fallout.

Thunderblast, prior to Starscream's arrival, had been working her way into Stormstrike's affections, using her usual mix of flattery and charm. This planet was full of gullible mechs with oversized egos, and Thunderblast worked her way among them, first by seducing, then swindling her target out of any assets she could lay her servos on. This refinery was currently a good place to lay low - prior to the Decepticons arrival she had managed to con a band of pirates out of most of their shipments on the other side of the planet, making her getaway before they had even realised what had happened. Unicron was vast and chaotic, and she was unlikely to be caught. But there was no harm in taking precautions, and Fallout seemed glad of the company in the meantime.

But the one thing Thunderblast wanted above all else was a way off this planet. She'd been abandoned by a bunch of wreckers who had tired of her, and now she was stuck here. She dreamed of a handsome mech who would take her in and adore her for a time, let her into his ranks. He would be powerful, good looking and have optics only for her. Maybe, once she found the right one, she would lay aside her conniving ways... maybe...

'Stormstrike can wait a moment,' she said, shuddering at their last encounter. 'Do you know if there are many femmes in the Decepticon ranks?'

'I did gain access to the ship's roster when I was given the slave register,' said Fallout. He looked over at her slyly. 'What's it worth?'

Thunderblast inwardly groaned, but she fixed a big, fake smile on her face, rising from her seat, running her hands over her curved hips. 'Well... for a big strong mech like you...'

Suddenly there was a bang and she shrieked, feeling cold air against her inner circuitry. Her aft-plate had come loose, falling with a crash onto the floor. Beside herself with embarrassment, she swooped for it, ramming it back into place, her fingers fumbling at the seals. Fallout roared with laughter, leaning forwards and pulling her towards him. 'Whoops! Here sweetspark, let me help you!'

'Someone sabotaged me!' she screamed at him, her optics looking round wildly for the flesh slave. But she was at Fallout's feet, her head still bent low, working industriously. Thunderblast's optics narrowed in suspicion, trying to think back over their conversation - had the fleshling been there the whole time? She couldn't recall. Fallout was giggling like a sparkling, his big clumsy fingers fixing her aft plate back on. 'Oh, don't be silly. You must have knocked it or something.'

'Knocked it?' she spat, swiping his hands away as he finished, rounding on him. 'What kind of scrap do you think I wear?'

Fallout chose not to answer this, having observed the low quality of her armour himself. Not that he cared - whatever came off easiest was good by him. 'Hey, calm down gorgeous. Nobody saw but me...' he hurriedly pulled her towards him once more, to stop her from catching sight of the grinning slaves in the canal. He raised his prod warningly, and they all returned to straining at the ropes. 'Come on, you were about to show me what my information is worth...'

He pulled her back to his lap, growling hungrily into her audios. 'Get lost,' he grunted at the human, who nodded her head, slowly and carefully stepping away. Thunderblast gave her a look of unbridled loathing as she retreated. 'If I find out you went anywhere near me, I'm gonna kill you, nice and slow, whatever priority you are...' she hissed.

The human female looked bewildered and intimidated, and Thunderblast made a sound of contempt, finally turning her attention to the lustful Fallout.

Only when Alexis reached the river did she smile grimly to herself, dusting off her hands.

'_That's_ for holding me down in the tank.'

As she made her way back to the pipes, she walked a little taller, despite the exhaustion screaming in her muscles and joints. _Not bad for a day's work, Alexis, not bad..._

* * *

Countless hours later, her jubilation having worn off, she slid down against the wall, having picked up the pouches Fallout had thrown. Frenzy was trudging over to join her, as the nightly scramble for low-grade was going on down the far end. She was so tired she wanted to cry, and the pouches didn't come close to filling her up or giving her the strength she needed. How was she supposed to use her rest time for anything but sleeping deeply? But she knew tonight she had to get amongst the slaves and try to find out what she could. The energon she was stashing behind the pipes would surely help her with that.

Fallout was preparing to leave, swinging a large loop of data keys in his thick fingers. The ground near her shook with approaching feet. She ignored it, busy trying to open the water, and cried out in shock when a foot slammed into her, shoving her against the wall. The water pouch dropped from her fingers as her arm was knocked back, and split, spilling onto the floor.

Thunderblast glared down as she used her weight to pin the human girl in place, her face roughly pushed to one side. 'You think that was funny, that little stunt earlier? I know it was you,' she said coldly, as Alexis clamped her mouth shut to hold back the cries, her eyes closed. She shook her head rapidly. Her arm in particular felt as though it might break if the femme applied any more weight to it and she struggled to breathe. 'I didn't do anything,' she snarled, squirming uselessly.

'I know you're lying,' said Thunderblast. She increased the pressure slightly and Alexis yelled out involuntarily, the tender flesh of her burn pressed against the rough metal behind her. Her ribs creaked worryingly.

'You touch me again, filth, and I'll make you regret it. You got that, slave?'

Alexis nodded, anything to get the mech off her. She couldn't move a muscle, trapped between the crushing metal and the wall, her legs squashed beneath her body.

'I didn't hear you,' Thunderblast hissed through clenched teeth, and the girl moaned as she pressed her foot harder to the wall.

'Yes, YES!' Alexis spat furiously, her eyes watering in pain. Fallout had noticed the commotion, and ran over, his huge feet booming on the refinery floor. 'What are you doing? Get off her! That's Priority One stock! _How many times?_ Thunderblast, get OFF!'

He yanked the femme back. Alexis rolled forward, coughing and choking, her vision blurry. Hands beside her grabbed her arm, pulling her upright. It was Frenzy, who had also sprinted over. 'Hey fleshie. You alright? You okay, yeah?'

He pulled her into a hug, whilst above them, Fallout raged.

'Sheesh, Thunder, I got a business to run here! That one is worth a lotta money and it's more trouble than it's worth to damage it! You want me to get fined, or scrapped by her owner? I've seen his weapons, remember! Calm it down!'

'Get to your pods,' he snarled at Frenzy and Alexis, turning to leave, pulling Thunderblast with him. Frenzy muttered in her ear.

'Shit, I thought they'd found the energon. Are you hurt?'

She shook her head and emerged from Frenzy's embrace, calling up to Fallout. Her voice was hoarse. She rubbed her throat where the edge of Thunderblast's foot had pinned it.

'My water pouch broke, she said, gesturing to the puddle now mingling with the dust and oil on the floor. 'I haven't got anything to drink.'

'Not my problem,' Fallout grunted. 'Lick it up, for all I care. That's all you're getting. It will teach you to be less careless.' Beside him, Thunderblast looked back over her shoulder and grinned maliciously.

The unfairness of it floored her, and to her horror, Alexis felt tears of frustration brimming in her eyes. She was so thirsty she felt ill. 'I need another pouch! _Please!_'

'I **said**, get to your pods,' the overseer growled. 'I won't tell you again.' Thunderblast laughed loudly.

At that moment, like a beacon from heaven itself, her summoning cuff glowed on her wrist, the pale orange lighting up her tired features. The light caught the edge of Fallout's vision as he turned his back, and he growled in annoyance, leaning down and tugging the human girl's arm between thumb and finger.

'Fine, new plan. You can come out with me.'


	13. Chapter 13

Here's another chapter for you. :-) Thank you very much as ever to those who took the time to review or message me!

* * *

Chapter 13

A soft wind whipped her hair as Alexis emerged from the tunnel. The strange sky above was dark, the ground beneath her warm. Fallout had seen her to the tunnel's mouth, then transformed into his alt mode, some sort of tank, and sped off towards one of the colonies on the adjacent hill with Thunderblast.

The Portent-turned-base sat between two of these vast colonies on a rocky ridge, and Alexis could see the far off glittering lights and buzzing traffic, above soaring buildings. She wondered what people got up to in their spare time on Unicron. A far off collective roar reached her ears - the sound of crowds cheering. That was the sound of a fight pit, unless she was mistaken. Already her mind was on rest, proper food, warmth…

As she approached, a guard stepped forward, touching his com-link.

'You can't enter through this way, Human Decepticon. We must take you round the back, the service tunnel.'

'The service tunnel?'

Alexis pushed her hands into her sleeves, fighting the urge to lay down and fall asleep right there. 'It's Brunt, isn't it? I saw you at the pits back on Cybertron, some tidy work. We all played Flip, Sip or Strip afterwards in Warp's Bar. Come on, you know me. This is silly.'

'Starscream's orders. Sorry, Alexis.' said Brunt, looking awkward.

She stared at him for a moment, before sighing. 'Oh, fine. Please com-link Starscream for me, would you? I want access to my rooms whilst I'm here, and something to eat.'

* * *

She emerged in the main atrium in front of the throne room, thinking only of her quarters, with the shower, the soft bed, clean clothes... maybe she would get away with snatching a quick nap... and she could load up on some proper food...

Thundercracker was there to meet her and she waved wanly at him. 'Hey TC. How's it going?'

He glanced about, before leaning down, speaking in hushed tones. 'We've got company,' he rumbled. 'Stormstrike and his delegates are here, in a meeting with Starscream.'

'Oh!' Understanding dawned on Alexis and she nodded. 'So I mustn't act too familiar, got it. Well, actually, that's perfect. I'm going to go collapse in my quarters until Starscream is ready for me, I'm completely exhausted. So I'll be safely out of the way.'

Thundercracker looked uneasy, his gaze shifting sideways. 'Uh... yeah. About that. Starscream wants you in there with him, now.'

She stared at him. 'What? As a delegate? Won't that look odd? I thought I was supposed to be undercover as a slave?'

'Yeah... that's about the shape of it,' Thundercracker replied, still not meeting her eye.

She gaped at him as the penny dropped. 'You mean he wants me in there... to _wait_ on him?'

Thundercracker nodded as she exploded, her voice a furious whisper.

'That's why he called me up here? To go and pour his energon and be his skiv? I'm fucking exhausted! I stink! I haven't eaten proper food in over twenty-four hours!'

'Alexis, I don't know why, but he wanted you to be here...'

'You have got to be _joking_!'

The Decepticon Commander dropped a tiny packet at her feet and she picked it up, grimacing at the various aches in her body. It was a packet of disposable wipes, from her stores. 'Come on, Alexis, we all have our parts to play, you included. You know what it is to be a Decepticon. Your leader has summoned you, he needs you. Your needs have to come second, especially at a time like this. Now clean yourself up, girl, come on.'

That was the closest thing to a pep talk one could expect from a Decepticon, and she sighed, wiping her face and hands, her muscles howling with fatigue all the while. When she looked a little more presentable, Thundercracker opened the huge doors, gesturing for her to enter. With a brief glance up at him, she walked inside.

* * *

Starscream lounged at a long table, in the exact middle, opposite a large, red and gold mech. His side of the table was empty, but delegates crowded round their leader opposite him. That meant Starscream was vastly outnumbered if things got nasty. Alexis hoped he had gauged the situation right. The noise was deafening. Drones were pushing fresh energon on carts towards the table. Alexis tried to keep her head down as she walked, but it was hard not to stare up the scene in curiosity. The ground shook beside her as Thundercracker accompanied her.

The mech opposite Starscream was similar in height, yet bulkier, with ostentatious crimson armour, trimmed with gold. He was drunk, a pile of cubes at his elbow, roaring with mirth at something Starscream had just said. To his left and right sat his men, who looked equally the worse for wear, guzzling Starscream's stock eagerly as more was brought forward.

Thundercracker drew up to Starscream's throne, inclining his head politely, and gesturing towards Alexis. Starscream looked round, giving her the briefest glance, his face indifferent, before pointing at his feet and returning his attention to Stormstrike opposite him. She made her way towards them, her face flushed. She knew that dismissive look was just an act, but it still felt horrible to be looked at in that way by her trusted friend. As she approached, mechs on the other side of the table craned to look at her curiously, muttering amongst themselves and pointing. She stopped beside Starscream's feet, emitting a small, quiet sigh. Now what? All she could see were legs and feet, and the underside of the table. After a moment, she quietly sat herself down cross-legged, listening to the conversation above, amidst drunken laughing and chatter.

'I gotta say, Lord Starscream, you got some incredible energon right here!' Stormstrike was slurring, and Alexis watched his waist bend as he slumped forward on the table above. 'I didn't come here just to drink, but I gotta say I just can't stop!'

There was a pause above, and Alexis swiveled her head to the spot where Starscream was, his face hidden by the table. 'I'm glad to offer my finest high grade to my... guests.'

She couldn't see his face, but she knew the tone well enough. Alexis shuddered, biting her lip. Was Starscream going to slaughter the lot of them when they had become too drunk to offer resistance? Was that why she had been sent under here? She tensed, imagining the shots, the groans and twitching feet, gouts of energon spattering onto the floor all around her…

Stormstrike was drinking deeply once more, and she heard the hollow thump of another empty cube being put down. 'Maybe it wasn't so bad, you coming here after all… I got to be honest, when I saw your ship landing I thought maybe I would have to destroy you!'

'Is that right?' replied Starscream softly, and Alexis imagined him suppressing a smile. Stormstrike carried on, oblivious.

'But, now I think about it, there's no reason why we can't be friends. Put our resources together maybe, you know… wha's the word… you know…. Reach… uh… reach…'

'Reach an agreement, mutually beneficial to us both?' finished Starscream graciously.

'Yeah! That's right! What you said!'

He leaned forward once more, suppressing a belch. 'Thing is, Starscream, your forces are so numerous, and my energon outputs have suffered. Now that I've met you I am certain this is not on purpose, but you are taking energon that was all mine before you got here. You can see how this is no good for me, can't you?'

Starscream leaned back, and Alexis could hear the subtle triumph in his voice. 'I certainly can see that.'

_Bingo_. First weakness uncovered. Now Alexis understood Starscream's game. Why shoot when you can twist the knife into your opponent without them even realising it? She had also noticed how little Starscream was speaking, allowing Stormstrike to fill in the gaps. A well-used tactic of the Decepticon leader.

'Those insect children you have brought with you can dig like nothing I've ever seen,' slurred Stormstrike. 'So, so young, but their progress… phenomem… phemomamo... uh, it's really something! Tell me, are any of them for sale? Perhaps if I had some of these infant bugs, we could be on an even footing, hmm? I'll give you a great price!'

Alexis glared up at the patch of table where Starscream was. _Don't!_

There was a pause above. Starscream appeared to be thinking about it, but Alexis knew he was in all likelihood merely savouring the satisfaction of having Stormstrike trying to bargain with him.

'I am very sorry, Stormstrike, I would love to sell you some of my slave stock, in order to help your energon outputs, but I'm afraid I have to focus my efforts on reaching the secondary layer.'

There was a choking sound above. 'Ah… you know about the secondary layer?'

'Your herald, Pillage, was kind enough to enlighten me,' said Starscream smoothly.

There was a tense silence, followed by a growl and the sound of a gun beginning to charge. Under the table, Alexis drew in a breath, hugging her knees. _What did you tell him that for?!_

Stormstrike sat up straight. All around him, his men's drunken chatter faded to a halt. Alexis saw Thundercracker's feet move closer to Starscream, but then pause, as if Starscream had put out his hand.

'What are you implying?' growled Stormstrike. 'What have you done with Pillage?'

'Done?' Starscream sounded genuinely perplexed. 'Stormstrike, please lower your gun. I have done nothing to your herald. Although I am not surprised to note that he is not with you tonight.'

When his guest didn't reply, Starscream sighed. 'Stormstrike, I regret to tell you this, but Pillage offered to join the Decepticons upon landing, and volunteered information I am sure you meant him to keep secret. Naturally I refused, telling him I would never accept a defector who so sullied the honour of his lord. I haven't seen him since. Do you mean to tell me that he hasn't returned to you?'

_Damn it, Starscream, you make false innocence an art form._

There was hesitation from Stormstrike, who no doubt was uncomfortably wondering what else Pillage had divulged, such as his intent to spy on Starscream. Under the table, Alexis shook her head. She almost felt sorry for Stormstrike, whose trust had been cheap at twice the price for Starscream. She saw how cunning Starscream had just been – only the most audacious deceiver would enquire after someone they had personally murdered last cycle.

Starscream sat forward, his voice now earnest and encouraging, taking advantage of Stormstrike's drunken confusion. 'It is perfectly right and prudent to send forces to scout out a new arrival. I myself understand that, as a leader. I bear you no ill will, Stormstrike. Now, have some more energon, please. It appears Pillage attempted to make a fool of you, but I foiled him in his plans. He is of no threat to either of us.'

There was a click as his guest stowed his weapon. Stormstrike cleared his throat, embarrassed at his earlier outburst. 'Damn decent of you, Lord Starscream, damn decent of you. You're a rare, honourable specimen, there's no two ways about it. Forgive me for jumping to conclusions.'

'Consider it forgotten, Stormstrike.' Starscream was trying not to laugh once more, and Alexis stared up at the underside of the table, incredulous. In just a few swift moves, he had turned the tables and shamed his opponent into thinking himself in the wrong. Unbelievable.

Stormstrike had accepted another full cube. 'Tell me Starscream, uh… do you have a Core Key yet in your possession?'

_Aha_. This perhaps was where Stormstrike could gain the upper hand. Unless he had been extremely lucky since they last spoke, Alexis was sure Starscream didn't yet have one. She reminded herself to tell Starscream about Thunderblasts's key when she got the chance.

'Ah, now, I may be a newcomer, but I believe it unwise to discuss things such as this, Stormstrike,' said Starscream, taking a full cube himself.

Stormstrike appeared to be struggling with Starscream's reply – did that mean he had one, or not?

'It's just… I know the location of several Core Keys you see. Perhaps this information could be useful to you, in the future?'

Starscream sat back, the grin evident in his voice. 'Perhaps.'

And there it was. Stormstrike had revealed his hand, and Starscream had revealed next to nothing. It was times like this that made it easy to see how Starscream had become Decepticon leader.

The chatter and laughing had resumed once more, and talk above turned to more trivial things. More Decepticons entered and took their seats, joining the feast.

Alexis sat under the table, seemingly forgotten about. The fortress was much warmer than the refinery and she found herself nodding sleepily. Blinking, she shuffled nearer to Starscream's foot, tucking her hands into her sleeves and leaning against his leg. Must stay awake. Mustn't fall…

* * *

Her phone buzzed in her tool belt and she banged her head against his plating abruptly as she jerked awake, whispering a curse under her breath. No doubt Starscream was rebuking her for falling asleep. She pulled the phone out clumsily, spotting a text on the screen, wincing in anticipation of an acidic command to stay awake.

_See the idiot sitting opposite us? Back of the left leg, under the knee. Retrieve black and gold chip, between red and white wire._

She stared up at what she could see of him. Was he serious? Apparently, yes. She mutinously thought about composing a reply telling him to get it himself. What if Stormstrike saw her? It could start a huge fight! As if reading her thoughts, her phone illuminated once more.

_Overloaded to point of numbness. Work quick and quiet. Any problems arise, leave them to me. I know you can do it, LD. _

She smiled in spite of herself at the use of her nickname, and got to her feet. She picked her way around to the back of Stormstrike's thick legs, looking up anxiously. Every head was facing the table, and energon was still flowing freely.

Alexis knew that a symptom of energon overload was tingling in the extremities, and complete numbness set in once enough energon had been consumed - meaning with proper care, Stormstrike wouldn't feel a thing. Still, her hands shook slightly as she began working on prising the plating apart, expecting at any moment that he would look round and notice her, emit an enraged bellow and swat her aside.

But just three minutes later she was back in her original spot, tapping on Starscream's leg. His hand came down under the table, and she stood on tiptoe, placing the tiny chip onto his palm. His plating shifted and swallowed the thing as the hand disappeared. Moments later it was back, and the plating re-opened. She took it, and crept back to Stormstrike, reaching for her toolbelt.

Two minutes later and she took her seat once more, her heart pounding. Stormstrike was now leaning slightly in his seat, getting drunker by the minute. The chip was back in place. She swiftly composed a text.

_All done._

The phone illuminated again almost straight away.

_That's my girl._

* * *

She shot awake again, staring around, disorientated. Stormstrike and his men were gone, and in their place were hoards of Decepticons, having taken their vacated seats. She was up on the tabletop. How long had she been asleep? Blankets and a pillow had been brought down, and she sat up in a nest of them, spotting a selection of foil trays next to her, steaming and giving off delicious aromas. She reached for them with a quiet yelp of delight, her starving stomach rumbling. There was a bottle of wine, but for the first time in her adult life she reached for the water first, tearing at the pouch with her fingernails. A distracted humming beside her made her look round, to see Frenzy bent over a small data pad, Cybertronian characters dancing across the screen. He must have been summoned, shortly after her.

'Hey Fleshie!'

'Frenzy,' she replied, her voice husky from sleep. She pulled the blanket round her shoulders, savouring the feeling of warmth and comfort. 'What's going on?'

'Writing a message,' he replied, frowning at the screen, mistaking the meaning of her question.

She looked round. Starscream was sitting on her left, smirking and drinking energon. Thundercracker sat opposite, laughing and doing an impression of Stormstrike. Down the far end, Soundwave stood, silent and impassive, his hands resting on the table as if waiting for something. The bellows and roars of assembled mechs filled the hall. She began digging into the food urgently, relief coursing through her at something to eat at last.

'Nice work, Screamer, nice work!'

Thundercracker drained a cube, tossing it behind him, where it smashed into tiny pieces. Drones rushed forward to clear it up. Starscream nodded, a satisfied smile splitting his features. He looked down, noticing Alexis awake. 'And thanks to Alexis, we now possess that imbecile's list of co-ordinates for the core keys. I seriously doubt his internal security circuitry will detect organic interference.

'And yet, it seems imprudent to gloat just yet,' Starscream continued thoughtfully, his smile fading as he pressed his fingertips together. Alexis scooted towards the two jets, cradling a foil tin of hot food and a bottle. 'Hey. What'd I miss?'

Starscream looked down. 'After you fell back to sleep, I questioned Stormstrike, shortly before he completely overloaded, as to whether or not he'd encountered Betagon. Do not worry, he won't remember my asking him. Sadly he had no new information. And I think we can rely on his telling the truth, seeing as he now thinks I am an honest, trustworthy mech.'

He snorted with laughter, and Alexis raised her eyebrows. 'Poor guy.'

Thundercracker was lifting a new energon cube to his lips. 'This Betagon is alive, so I guess it's an independent life form, but someone had to have put it on Cybertron. So who? We could be here for a long time, Starscream. This planet is huge, with millions of life-forms swarming all over it.'

Starscream narrowed his optics. 'The scouts I sent out are instructed to report back if they find anything, and they are working relentlessly. Twenty percent of the surface has already been searched, no mean feat in the time frame. But I can't shake the feeling that the answer to this mystery lies below us, in the secondary crust, or deeper.'

He shrugged. 'Alexis, do you have any news from the refineries? Frenzy has reported back on the number of life-forms, and he has gained access to Fallout's database and profit archives. Nothing of significance so far. Tell me you have some more interesting news.'

'I found out that Thunderblast has a Core key! You know, the bitchy mech I told you about?' Alexis' heart sank as soon as she had finished speaking – now that Starscream knew the location of Stormstrike's keys, her information suddenly didn't seem like such a big deal. 'I… was just about to question the other slaves when you summoned me, I'm afraid. Fallout locks down the refinery each night whilst he goes off to… well, do whatever he does, I suppose.'

She didn't think this information would be of much interest to the jet, but he nodded, seeming satisfied. 'Fallout shuts down and leaves each cycle? That means he is unwilling to share his profit by hiring someone to cover him when he wishes to go out. This is in our favour – time for you to investigate and infiltrate without fear of discovery. He doesn't expect his slaves to do anything except collapse, exhausted, into their pods whilst he is out.'

'With good reason,' grumbled Alexis. Suddenly she remembered something, and looked up. 'Starscream?'

'Mmm?'

'Have… have your scouts found any evidence of humans here, on Unicron?'

He looked at her blankly. 'Humans?'

'Yes.' She stared at him. 'You said, back on Earth, that there was anecdotal evidence of humans on this planet.'

He blinked. 'Did I?'

'Yes! You know you did!'

He shrugged, looking disinterested. 'Oh. Well, I have seen no evidence of it so far. Why?'

She stared at him harder, frustration bubbling within her. 'If there are humans on Unicron, they can only have come from Earth. And that's a big deal.'

Starscream frowned. 'As I said, I have seen no evidence since we arrived. I can't see how this matters when we have our main objective to consider – the Betagon and how it arrived on Cybertron, nearly destroying my home world that I worked so hard to rebuild.'

He leaned down, fixing her with an intense stare. 'You haven't forgotten why we are here already, have you Alexis?'

She frowned back. 'My world was in danger too. It could still be in danger. And if there are humans here they had to have come from Earth. And not willingly! If you didn't want me to explore this possibility, you should never have mentioned it!'

'I did also stress that I didn't _care_ if there were humans here or not,' he replied calmly, though there was an edge to his voice warning her not to push it.

She sighed. 'Look, you can't blame me for wanting this checked out,' she said, lowering her voice. 'There's not much I can do from the refineries, but…'

'Ah, there you make a good point, Alexis,' he interrupted, a small, satisified smile tugging at his mouth. 'There is not much you can do, not from your lowly position. So please, stick to your objectives, as we discussed at the beginning of this voyage. I'll not have you wandering off or straying from what we agreed.'

'Less of the lowly position!' she snarled angrily. 'My _lowly position_ enabled me to do your dirty work tonight!'

Starscream opened his mouth to argue back, but his optics were caught by something moving behind her and his eyebrows shot up. 'Frenzy?'

Alexis wheeled round. Behind her, seemingly taking advantage of their heated argument, was Frenzy, tiptoeing theatrically past, the datapad under his arm. He froze at the sound of his name. 'Uh… yeah?'

'What are you doing?' asked Starscream languidly, sitting back in his seat.

'Nothing! Just… giving something to Soundwave, to take back!'

'Take back?' asked Alexis, confused.

'Soundwave is going back to Cybertron, via space bridge,' explained Starscream. 'I have mined enough energon to open a bridge back. Obviously I'm not ready to leave, but as I have enough power, I would like Soundwave back home, to oversee my affairs for me.'

'I see.' Alexis looked down the long table, where Soundave stood like a statue.

'He will be taking back some shipments, data, and equipment. It will be a one way trip,' explained Starscream. Whilst he had been speaking, Frenzy had tentatively resumed his progress, walking towards Soundwave. He flinched as Starscream's forearm crashed down in front of him, barring his way.

'What have you got there?' drawled Starscream, beckoning the cassette with one long finger.

'Just a short message! For Rumble! That's all! Absolutely nothing else!' squeaked Frenzy, shoving the datapad behind his back. When Starscream's ray gun began to whine, he winced, hopping from one foot to the other in agitation. 'Please, lord!'

'Give that to me,' said Starscream lazily, gesturing for the datapad. 'Before I reduce you to ash…'

Looking at his feet, Frenzy passed him the datapad. Starscream took it between thumb and forefinger, raising it to his face and peering at the small screen. He stared at it for a moment, before grinning evilly. 'Well, well, well…'

Frenzy gripped his head. All around, mechs were craning curiously. Alexis opened her palms in a non-plussed gesture. 'Well? What's so funny?'

Starscream looked down at Frenzy, pausing as if savouring something delightful. Frenzy was shaking his head, mouthing silent pleas at his ruler. Starscream began to read aloud.

_'Dear Lucy…_'

'Noooo!' wailed Frenzy, as the assembled Decepticons began to laugh. Egged on, Starscream continued.

_'…I hope you are well on Earth and work and things are fine. My master Soundwave should find a way to get this to you, hopefully not in person. I am on Unicron now with my friend Alexis. We are both slaves, but do not worry it is just a temporary thing. I am back in my robot form now but I do hope that you will not find that a bad thing. I think you are very nice and I think about you quite a lot when I can. I hope your journey home was alright and that Blackout wasn't too impolite. Your friend, Freddie.'_

Mechs were chuckling and sniggering whilst Frenzy stared at the table as if hoping it would swallow him up. Alexis hurried over, laying a hand on his arm. 'Aw, Frenzy! That was lovely!'

'There's a P.S…' Starscream said, his grin widening. Frenzy looked up, sheer panic on his face. '_Don't read the P.S!_'

'_P.S… I very much enjoyed having human intercourse with you. Perhaps we can do it again one day If I can return in my human shape? That would be nice.'_

The Decepticons were howling with laughter, holding each other up and banging their fists on the table. Alexis looked up at Starscream, who was shaking with mirth.

'You are the nastiest, evilest, most pig-headed …'

'Ah, love makes poets of us all…' Starscream laughed harder, passing the datapad to Soundwave. 'Soundwave, make sure this young woman gets Frenzy's heartfelt message. This has made a victorious night even better Frenzy. I knew there was a reason I let you live. Now…' he leaned over the pair of them, still grinning widely. 'Back to the refineries, my little drudges. Until I need you next…'


	14. Chapter 14

Whoop, another chapter for ya. Hope you are enjoying and cheers for the reviews, you know I love 'em. At the moment I am loving the kind soul who is uploading Transformers Prime onto Youtube for happy British people who don't own TVs!

Thanks for feedback, do continue to let me know how I am getting on. This one is a shortie, but there will be more soon. Thanks for feedback on Screamer last chapter, it's good to know I'm getting his character right, as he is sometimes a real challenge to write. :-) Anyway, shutting up!

* * *

Chapter 14

Alexis looked around her, a grim, pleased smile on her face. They were back in the dark refinery, Fallout still being absent when they got back. She estimated they had a few hours before his return.

Frenzy and she had left the Portent with armfuls of loot: food, drink, and even a large soft hoodie she had swiped from her quarters. Starscream would certainly have stopped her had he seen. Slaves weren't meant to have luxuries like chocolate, warm clothes and whisky. Tough shit, she reflected idly, lifting the bottle and taking another swig of the amber liquid. She'd snuck the alcohol on board the Portent by hiding it inside a box she had labeled: _Alexis' Menstrual Supplies_ in big letters. Skywarp, charged with inspecting her cargo, had been too freaked out to investigate further. This had been her first opportunity to swipe it.

She was sat cross-legged, reveling in the warmth of the hoodie, though her fingers were chilly. The brand on her back still hurt, but it had dulled to a low, throbbing ache that could be ignored with little difficulty.

They had dragged out the cubes full of high grade energon from their hiding place, and she sat watching as the slaves who were awake dug into it eagerly, exclamations of relish and surprise echoing in the vast space. She had worried, briefly, that there would be a chaotic scramble or a fight for the stuff – but there was plenty to spare, and besides, no one down here appeared to have the strength to do each other any serious damage.

She was sat in a large circle, which included several different species, drinking and chattering. A gaggle of Insecticons, Dart among them, were puzzling over her iPhone, flicking through her playlist and listening intently to the tinny music, their optics wide with wonder.

She watched her fellow slaves carefully, listening to their chatter. There were some tatty-looking Junkions, about twenty feet tall, who had snatched the energon distrustfully, but had since opened up a little. There were smaller, squatter mechs she gathered belonged to Stormstrike's faction, and others she couldn't put a name to. Already she had learnt a lot. Slaves were divided into Priorities, numbering from one to five. Five was not a good place to be – this caste were made up of drifters and loners. They had no owner except for Fallout himself and so could be sold on at any time to work in the scrapyards, or be dismantled in the combat pits, their sparks torn apart for only a few credits. Priorities were assigned by a slave's owner. Some workers she had spoken to had sold _themselves_ into slavery – to pay off debts or to simply have a place to stay where you weren't in danger of being snatched or killed. These slaves had their priority number assigned according to size, strength and weapons. When their time was served, they were free to go.

She looked up at the pods, disappearing into the gloom. They still contained hundreds of slaves – some were fast asleep, others were awake but looked too nervous to come down and sample the stolen energon. She squinted and leaned forward, frowning – in one of the ground floor pods there huddled a dark shape, head on its knees in an exhausted pose. She couldn't tell if it was awake or not. She reached up, touching the huge hand of a Priority Three Junkion mech called Brute, who was guffawing with his cronies beside her.

'Excuse me?'

The mech turned, looking down, his amber optics flaring. 'Priority One!'

That was what most of the slaves were calling her. She had introduced herself as Alexis, but the nickname appeared to have stuck.

'You got some ball-bearings, Priority One, stealing energon for us nobodies,' boomed the Junkion, slapping the ground and making her jump. 'I dunno what you are or where you came from, but you definitely got ball bearings! Say, if we ever get outta here, wanna join my gang as our lucky mascot? Travel the stars and kill interesting people? You're our lucky little scraplet!'

He lowered a huge hand, patting her head. It was meant affectionately, though the experience was like getting hit by a frying pan. Alexis bit her lip to mask the pain, and smiled at him as he chuckled in a deep, gravelly voice. He had scars everywhere, and his plating was welded all over with different coloured patches. He had told Alexis they were pieces of everyone he had ever killed. She believed it.

'Thanks, Brute, but I've got an owner!'

'Yeah, I seen him. Looks mean, and that's comin' from me, mind. Well, owners come and go, little sister. The offer stands. We are forever in your debt.' He adopted what he obviously thought was a refined air for the last sentence, bowing his torso to her with exaggerated courtesy. She laughed.

'Who is that, sitting over there in the pods?'

Brute turned and followed the direction her arm was pointing. 'That's Ugly. He's been here longer'n us. Doesn't talk much. Priority Five. He might even be lower.'

'Lower?'

Brute shrugged. 'No markings, no faction, no story. Keeps himself to himself. Sickly.' He reached for another energon cube.

Alexis, her natural curiosity roused, stood up. Brute swung a massive arm down in front of her, his thumb and finger clutching a test tube.

'Don't forget this, little sister. I'll smash it, a great hulk like me, if you let me look after it.'

It was the Betagon sample – Alexis had passed it round, enquiring after its origin, with no luck. She cringed at her absent mindedness. 'Shit, thanks! I mustn't lose that!'

She approached the pod, carrying an energon cube the size of a microwave, being careful not to spill it. As she drew nearer, she saw one optic, glowing through the gloom as Ugly watched her step nearer. He looked to be ten feet tall when standing, at a rough guess. When she could make out his face she bit back a gasp, and it became clear to see how he had earned his name. One side of his face was almost completely melted, exposing wires and pistons beneath. The effect was rather skull-like, like something from a horror movie back on Earth. His whole body appeared to be made of spare parts, spindly and wasted. She wondered how a transformer in this state was still online.

He said nothing when she stopped in front of him, his hands limp at his sides, knees drawn up. His one optic stared at her, expressionless.

'Um… thought you might want some energon. It's high grade.'

No reply. If it weren't for his glowing optic, she would have presumed he was dead. Perhaps he was too weak to talk. She cast an anxious glance behind her, starting to regret coming over.

'Would you like some?'

Still nothing. Heart pounding, she lifted the cube and, wobbling slightly, stepped onto his forearm, raising the cube with difficulty. It was a risky, audacious move and she half expected to be swiped aside, but still he did nothing as she lifted it up, allowing a slew of energon to trickle down his throat.

After a few seconds his free arm very slowly moved round to take the cube, with a screeching of joints. She smiled and stepped off his other arm as he slowly, wearily took the energon, drinking it quietly. 'There you go, you just needed a jump start. I'm the same way myself, back home on Earth. Need at least two teas to get going in the morning.'

He regarded her, finishing the energon and placing the cube carefully on the floor when he had finished. All of his movements seemed slow, considered, as if he had spent several minutes planning them in advance. She was about to leave, giving up on any hope of conversation, when he spoke, his voice like the rustle of dead leaves.

'You're the Priority One child.'

'That's right, she said, tucking her hands into her sleeves. 'What can I call you?'

The functional side of his face twitched in a small smile. 'I believe you know my name.'

She blushed. 'I can't call you… that. It's rude. Surely it's not your real name?'

'If it troubles you to call me Ugly, you may call me Fornax.'

'That's your real name?'

He smiled again. 'No, it is not. But for the purposes of our conversation it will do.'

'Fornax. How long have you been down here?'

He leaned back, sighing and twitching his legs. 'A while.'

The way he said it, she knew that a while meant a very, very long time.

'I haven't seen you, these last couple of days.'

'But I have seen you. The flesh creature flung into the pit. The slave and her king.'

She frowned. Did he always speak in riddles like this, she wondered?

'You came here to ask me something.' It was a statement, not a question.

She bit her lip. 'I'm trying to find something out. Well, a few things. Have you ever come across this before?'

She held out the test tube of Betagon. With more ominous creaks, he reached out and took it, his rusty hand engulfing her small, pale fingers. She stepped back as his expression changed to one of mute, rock-hard anger. For a moment she thought he would strike her, but he merely closed his fist around it. Trembling, she spoke again.

'It was found on Cybertron, my master's planet. It's alive. We…'

'I know what it is,' replied Fornax abruptly. Before she could stop him, he dashed the tube against the rough wall behind him, tilting his head back and draining it, crunching the empty vessel in his fist. She cried out in protest. 'Oh no… please don't!'

But it was too late. Hands over her mouth, she froze like a rabbit before a fox, but he merely sighed, relaxing once more, grimacing with disgust and contempt. It was hard to tell who, or what, his anger was directed at.

After a few moments, he turned his head. 'Do you have any idea what that was?'

'Yes! No! Well… sort of. I know it's alive, and evil, it possessed Starscream, that's the mech who brought me here… I didn't have time to tell you, you mustn't drink it!'

He laughed, gasping and wheezing. At her terrified expression he made a dismissive gesture. 'I can handle that malicious, brainless spawn. But I very much doubt you can. Containers and cubes won't hold it, not forever. It's better I look after it for you.' He patted his abdomen where his energon tanks were located, smiling grimly.

'You know what it is, then?'

One wasted arm shot out, clamping onto her arm, and she cried out in panic as he pulled her towards him, tilting his head down and forcing her chin up. 'It is the blood of Unicron. Dark Energon. And it is only the second most dangerous thing you will encounter here, _Alexis Katherine Garner_.'

Her eyes widened in shock and fear, and she squirmed. 'H… how do you know my full name? Who are you?'

'I am a friend, Priority One. A friend. As to the second thing you wanted to know, you may find your answer outside of this refinery. In the Gloam Pit.'

The name rang a bell in her mind as she thrashed like a fish in a net, unable to free herself. His one optic bored into her wide eyes and she stared back, unable to look away. His grip on her arm loosened, slowly.

'The Gloam Pit is where everything gets dumped, eventually. If you want evidence of your own kind on this sphere, that is the place to start looking.'

'But... hold on, I never even asked...'

He pulled her arm suddenly once more, the other hand reaching down, prising her clenched fingers apart. She shut her eyes tight, but only felt something small and hard pressed into her palm. When she opened them again, he was smiling.

'A gift, in exchange for your kindness shown to me. There is only enough power for one trip, so be wise, Priority One. Be wise.'

He released her, and she ran from him, as fast as she could.

* * *

Frenzy looked round as Alexis dropped down beside him, breathing hard as if she had run a marathon. 'Hey Fleshie! What's up?' He peered at her, his optics widening. 'Holy frag, you look terrible. What is it?'

Alexis stared at him for a moment, as if he were speaking a foreign language. She was shaking all over. He picked up her whisky bottle. 'Have some of this…'

She shook her head, staring at the bottle before tossing it aside. 'No thanks,' she replied shakily. 'I think I've had enough. Shit… shit…'

'Alexis, what in Primus' name is going on?'

'I just… I went over there, and spoke to this mech, this guy, and he… he…'

She turned, and pointed to the pod. It was empty. Alexis felt a horrible swirling in her stomach. Fornax was nowhere to be seen. 'Where'd he go?!'

She looked about the huge, soaring hall wildly, peering amongst the rabble. Fornax had disappeared. She shuddered, a fresh wave of dread caressing her spine.

Frenzy laughed. 'Woooooo! Ghosty!'

She winced. 'Frenzy, please don't joke! He was right there! He grabbed me… he looked right through me… he knew my name… my full name!'

She turned to stare at her friend. 'Frenzy, what's my middle name?'

Fremzy stared back, non-plussed. 'Your what?'

'My middle name? Between Alexis and Garner?'

'Search me!'

She looked away, chewing her nails, clutching herself tightly. 'You don't have a clue… and we've known each other for years… _How did he know?_'

After a moment she grabbed the whisky. 'Fuck it, maybe I do need some more of this…'

Frenzy, looking worried, ushered her over to the Insecticons, who were enquiring about the songs on her iPhone. For a few minutes she answered their questions, looking around every so often, distracted. With a few more sips of the whisky, she seemed to relax, smiling as the juvenile slaves squabbled over her playlist. He kept a protective arm round her shoulder, and she seemed glad of it.

* * *

_One hour later_

'It was like he could see inside me, and knew everything about me,' confided Alexis, her head bent over her iPhone. She was connecting it to Frenzy's chest, at the insistence of the clustered Insecticons, who were knocking back the high grade like lemonade and clamouring to find out what Bastille would sound like through the casseticon's speakers. She had filled him in on her strange encounter. Frenzy was peering about, trying to catch a glimpse of this mystery bot, glaring through the crowds as if daring him to re-emerge.

'Dark energon... Makes sense... an evil version of energon... but where does it come from? How is it alive? And who sent it to Cybertron?'

'We need to tell Starscream, at the earliest opportunity,' she continued, and Frenzy nodded, satisfied. Telling Starscream sounded like a plan, let _him_ deal with ghostly, frightening mechs who appeared and then vanished. Alexis finished her handiwork, pressing play on _Laura Palmer,_ and in unison they both _Ooohed_ as the vocals and drums echoed up into the vast space. 'Nice acoustics…'

As the assembled slaves go to their feet, staring at the ceiling and tapping their feet to the echoing music all around them, Alexis opened her hand, showing Frenzy the small, round object. 'What is this?'

His optics widened once more. 'Where did you get that? I haven't seen one of those since before the Great War!'

'What is it?'

'A Phase-shifter,' he replied. 'Let's you go through walls! Why…?'

Alexis dropped to her knees and pulled out her paper notes, taking another pull of the whisky. 'The Gloam Pits… the Gloam pits… I knew I had that written down…'

Frenzy's spark sank. 'You're not… going outside are you? Escaping?'

She nodded without looking up. 'I'm going to hunt for any traces of humankind. Fornax said it would be a good place to start… and it isn't far, look...'

'Arrrgh! The little voice, squishy! Remember? Listen to the little voice! Starscream has your energy signature, and mine! He is going to throw a _freaker_ when he realises you've gone wandering!'

She stood up. 'You coming?'

'I'd love to,' he snarled.

She nodded, choosing to ignore his sarcasm. 'Good. Have your weapons ready. Might be dangerous.'


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

'You know what? I made a mistake. It's not a phase shifter, it's just a bit of old junk.'

Frenzy had followed her over to the wall. It was important she picked the right spot. Get it wrong and she could end up trapped inside sold rock. The phase shifter was small and smooth, like a pebble. There didn't seem to be a way to activate it and she squinted in the poor light, turning it over in her fingers. She looked up at her friend. Frenzy was glowering, his usually amiable features set in a scowl.

'How does it work?'

He shook his head.

She sighed. 'Please, Frenzy.'

'I stood before Starscream not forty cycles ago, pleading for my life because I'd done something stupid,' said Frenzy. 'You want me back there again? Huh?'

She went to reply, but he cut across her. 'Is it fun, Alexis? Doing whatever you want and getting away with it, with no more'n a look or maybe a shouting match? 'Cause I wouldn't know! I get _scrapped_ if I disobey orders!'

His optics glowed a brighter red than normal, his raised voice echoing off the towering walls. Alexis flushed. She was used to Frenzy's little rants whenever she wanted him to join her on her latest hare-brained scheme. But this time he sounded uncharacteristically bitter. He stepped towards her, and his hand closed over her fingers with the phase shifter. It was so easy to forget Frenzy possessed ten times her strength. To be reminded of it now was like being bitten by a hitherto friendly animal.

'I just… can't sit here on an alien planet letting Starscream doing all the investigating,' she said. 'I have to find out what that mech meant, I think I might be onto something! I've been given this chance to get out and explore! I have to take it Frenzy! Please!'

He glowered at her. 'Part of being a Decepticon is following orders, _trusting_ our leader,' he growled. 'I'm not one to talk, but you're off the grid, squishy.'

'What if there are human people here, on Unicron?' she whispered. 'What if they're captive, scared? And I'm sitting here doing nothing?'

They looked at each other for a long time. Finally, Frenzy released her hand.

'It works up here,' he said shortly, tapping the side of his head. 'Been eons since I used one, mind. We had 'em back in the War. I don't think they're designed to work for organics though. And I'm not helping you.'

Normally with Frenzy all she had to do was wait for him to calm down. 'But you said you were coming. I just need to…'

'No! Not listening!' He jammed his hands over his optics, humming a tune.

She sighed exasperatedly and stamped away, heading aimlessly over to the Insecticons, who were crooning and clicking delightedly, having finished the high grade. Watching their gawky bodies cavorting as they play-fought and chattered, she realized just how young they were. The concept of childhood didn't seem to exist with transformers, but still, these had adolescence written all over them. The high grade seemed to have imbibed them with a burst of energy and they stood upright, moving rapidly, their optics glowing brighter than before.

A large hand came down on her shoulder, the thin, spider-like fingers closing slowly over her shoulder. 'Alexiss?'

She turned round, startled, to see Dart peering at her. 'Oh, hey Dart.'

The insecticon looked troubled, gesturing to the phase shifter. 'What do you have there?'

Alexis looked down, sighing. 'Something I thought could help me… but it doesn't seem that way… it's supposed to let you walk through walls…'

Dart stared at it. Her optics were flickering, and her usually placid expression seemed agitated. 'Through wallss? Are you sspeaking the truth?'

Her hiss seemed more pronounced, she was speaking fast. Alexis turned to face her fully, looking up at the young femme's frame. 'Are you okay, Dart? Did you have some of the high grade?'

Dart ignored the question. 'I can come with you, if you go out, yess?'

'Well…'

Before she could stop her, the Insecticon leant down, plucking up the phase shifter. In her hand it glowed into life, illuminating their features. Dart stared at it. 'Where can we get out?'

Something wasn't right. True, Dart was a slave, and slaves generally weren't happy with their lot, but Dart had never seemed to crave escape before. Quite the opposite in fact, hadn't she said she had wanted to rise in Starscream's favour? Her whole personality seemed to have altered, something was making her want to get out of here, fast. Alexis stared past her at the other Insecticons, who were all slightly buzzy, granted, but not agitated like Dart. 'Dart…what's going on?'

Dart straightened up. 'Tell me where you want to go. And I will take you. That direction, yess? Where you were?'

She transformed, spinning round and scooping Alexis up faster than she could even shout out. When the sounds of transformation finished, Alexis found herself straddling the dragonfly's glossy back. To either side of her, long, delicate wings buzzed into life, lifting them off the ground. Dart was picking up speed, heading straight for the wall. Alexis eye's widened, and she opened her mouth to scream, they were going to crash straight into solid rock, crumpling like meringues…

There was a strange, metallic noise and a burst of green light, then the horrible sensation of being suffocated for a brief instant, crushing weight all around them... then rushing, open air…

Alexis opened her eyes.

They were out in the open, soaring out of the tunnel. Alexis shrieked in surprise and wonder. 'It worked! _It worked! Yes_!'

Dart sighed in relief ahead of her, her large, orb-like eyes raking the ground. The Portent was to their left and ahead of them. Alexis pulled out her notes, the wind almost whipping them out of her hand. Below lay lights and moving shapes, with huddled, cramped buildings, the metal gleaming dully under the dark sky.

There wasn't much to cling onto and Alexis gripped tight with her knees. 'Bear right!' she yelled over the rushing wind. Far ahead there appeared to be a barren wasteland, a vast dump with rusted parts piled high into the sky. 'That's where we're headed!'

The Gloam Pits, according to her notes, were the biggest dump on Unicron. As they honed in lower, Aleixs spied thousands and thousands of every piece of rubbish you could imagine. Fornax, or whatever his name was, had been right. This was the place to start looking, for anything. It stretched for what looked like hundreds of miles.

They landed, towers of scrap all around them. No sooner had Alexis slid off the smooth back, Dart transformed into upright mode, looking around her urgently. The phase shifter clattered to the ground, dark and lifeless. Its remaining power had been used up.

The female Insecticon began to stride along, and Alexis started, running after her. '_Now_ are you going to tell me what's up? Where are you going, Dart? We need to stick together.'

Dart shook her head, quickening her place. She winced, her optics flickering once more. 'No… I musst be alone, human girl. Leave me be!'

'What?!' Alexis stared at her, stricken, then resumed running. 'What do you mean? What is going on, Dart? You can tell me!'

'Leave me be! I will come back later!'

Dart transformed once more, zig-zagging off into the leaning, rusted towers of scrap. Alexis finally slowed, staring after her, her mind whirling.

Silence fell, and a soft wind lifted her hair, a few scraps of ash and dust cartwheeling past her. She shivered. Beneath her feet, the ground moaned and trembled.

The Gloam Pits were like a graveyard. She began to walk, looking to her left and right. Very little light made its way down in the heaps. She spotted cogs, rusty panels, screws, pieces of building, wheels… even a skeletal limb protruding, here and there. She swallowed. The place had an air of eeriness about it. What the hell had got into Dart? If it hadn't been for her, she wouldn't have been able to get here, but she had sort of banked on Dart sticking with her. Why had she been so keen to get out and come here?

_I wish we'd grabbed Frenzy before we left_.

She shivered again. She was stuck out here, alone, with no way of getting back to the pit.

_Serve you right for running off without thinking it through_, said a voice inside her head. _Typical Alexis_.

_But I've got an energy signature_, another voice shot back. _Starscream can find me. And yeah, he'll be pissed, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it._

And speaking of bridges…

She had reached the edge of a vast canyon. The sides were sprinkled with mounds of scrap. The abyss, when she leaned over to look, seemed to go down forever. A rickety bridge connected the two sides.

She tested it with one foot. It held, albeit with lots of creaking. To her left and right were more heaps. She took a deep breath… and ran across it, her heart threatening to jump out of her mouth.

Behind her, she heard cables bursting free, the cracking sounds echoing like gunshots. The surface beneath her groaned and slipped. _Oh shit oh shit oh shit…_

The bridge was giving way, falling behind her like dominoes. Only 3 or 4 more feet! She leapt forward, grasping at the edge, her fingers finding empty air. One foot touched ground then fell back, and she inhaled a huge breath to scream, the abyss beneath yawning hungrily, pieces of bridge bouncing and crashing down…

Someone grabbed onto her hand, then her arm. She looked up.

'Hang on there fleshie…'

Frenzy pulled her up onto solid ground, dusting her off. 'Stupid human…'

'Oh, Frenzy!' She flung her arms around him. 'You came for me! Thank goodness...'

'Yeah, yeah,' he replied grouchily, but then he grinned reluctantly, punching her arm. 'I couldn't let you go off by yourself. I'm sorry I yelled at ya. Where's your other friend gone?'

Alexis told him about Dart, her strange behaviour and even stranger departure. Frenzy scowled. 'Fraggin insects… I _told_ you not to trust em, Alexis! _Listen_ to Frenzy!'

'How did you get out?' asked Alexis curiously as they resumed walking.

Frenzy snorted, his weapons drawn, looking around warily as they picked their way through the heaps. 'I'm not a total dead loss as a Decepticon, you know. Hacked into the security system and opened the delivery tunnel. Piece of piss.'

'Well, I'm glad you did,' said Alexis fervently. 'You being here makes me feel so much better. Anyway, we're stronger as a team, we're _always_ a team. Like Butch and Sundance. Or Frodo and Sam.'

Frenzy snorted. 'Yeah, okay. I'm Frodo though. _You're_ Sam.'

'What? I don't think so!'

'Yep. I'm the ringbearer, with the fate of the world in my hands. You're my fat gardener.'

'I'm not fat!'

* * *

Frenzy was thoroughly spooked by the rusty piles of scrap. Alexis hadn't been mistaken – there _were_ body parts amongst the wreckage – remains of long dead transformers tossed here and left to rust.

'You must have seen death loads of times,' she pointed out as they rounded a corner, both with weapons drawn, peering for possible danger.

'Yeah, in battle,' muttered Frenzy. 'But this is different. It would be like you wandering between piles of yucky human corpses.'

A pile of parts slid down a heap behind them and they both whipped round, guns out, but there was no one there.

'Primus, I hate this place.' said Frenzy. 'What are we looking for again?'

Alexis opened her mouth to reply, but suddenly a scent came to her nose and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She tugged the cassette's arm, shushing him and pulling him into the shadow of a scrap pile. They ducked under a discarded sheet of plating, crouching down in the dirt.

'I smell beta… I mean dark energon,' she whispered.

'What? Really?'

She nodded, putting a finger to her lips.

The ground shook with heavy footsteps. Risking a peep, Alexis raised her head a fraction.

There were three of them, bulky and stooped. They were combing through the scrap heaps – a scavenger gang. With a thrill of horror, Alexis realized their added bulk was just like the mutations she had seen on Starscream back on Cybertron, when he had been overwhelmed with the sinister life form. They looked roughly twenty feet tall, and all three were smeared with grime, with slack mouths and faded optics. They stank of dark energon.

'Gotta find something… 'fore the end of the cycle,' one of them grunted. 'Or there'll be no credits for us tonight. No drink.'

The three scavengers coming closer, lifting things to the light and inspecting them, trying to find things to sell. In a matter of moments their cover would be lifted. With a pounding heart Alexis readied her weapon, peeking out once more and sweeping their bodies.

_Assess for weakness_…

'Aim for the optics,' she whispered to Frenzy beside her, who nodded. 'They've got poor armour near the knees and feet. One's got a open wound already on the chest, so…'

The plate was lifted and hurled aside before she could finish. Frenzy leapt before she had time to uncoil from her crouch, causing the mech that had discovered them to yell in surprise. He immediately began firing his guns, zipping around their feet. The three scavengers roared and charged their own weapons. The one at the back, seemingly the leader, bellowed: 'No damaging them! We need 'em for market! Capture them! Quick!'

A hand encircled Alexis and lifted her up, but she fired into the open knuckle joints, and was dropped with a howl of pain. She rolled over, looking for Frenzy, but had to dodge an approaching foot. She ran forward instead of back, surprising the mech, and fired up at his back and legs as she ran. A thick glob of black spattered the ground beside her as her shots hit home, and her attacker collapsed with a groan.

Before she could celebrate, however, something slammed her back against a pile, causing debris to rain down on her, hitting her head and shoulders. With a growl, she was yanked back out, and pushed roughly to the ground.

'Escaped slave eh?' chuckled a deep voice in her ear. This was the leader again. 'Unusual breed. Good. You'll fetch a good price. You're gonna wish you'd never left your pit, worm.'

She rolled over onto her back, biting back a cry of pain as her shoulder felt like it would dislocate with the awkward move, and got a shot in at the leader's face. He growled, and spat at her, a thick slew of dark energon hitting her in the face. She shrieked and shook her head violently, making sure none of it went in her mouth or nose. The mech laughed. 'Don't like that, huh?'

Her gun was picked out of her hand and tossed away. Frenzy landed beside her, clutching fistfuls of wiring he had torn out during the fight.

'You okay? '

'I've been better, fleshie. Are you?'

The fight appeared to have almost exhausted the scavengers, they wheezed and choked, swaying as if on the verge of passing out. Alexis and Frenzy were ordered onto their knees, and the leader produced a length of cable, threading it through their collars and tying them to a thick ring sticking out of the ground. Stasis cuffs were snapped onto Frenzy's wrists. The two captors watched, satisfied, as Alexis and Frenzy tugged on the cables to no avail.

'Is Grinder dead?' The second mech gestured to their companion that had fallen, lying some feet away. The leader nodded. 'Probably. He wasn't long for the scrap heap anyway. Still, these two must be trained. Even better news for us. We'll get 'em to market when we've had a breather.'

Frenzy looked at Alexis, his expression clear. _This is bad._

'Why don't we call Thunderblast instead? Save us the trouble? She knows who will give us the best price.'

Alexis' head snapped up. _Thunderblast? She knew these two?_

'Hm. Good idea. Com-link her and get her out here. Tell her we got two top prizes for her.

'She always knows what to do with… spare parts. I hear she supplies someone near the Core.'

The leader gestured to his companion. 'Go and dismantle Grinder, we might as well sell what we can of him, too. I'll guard the little prizes till Thunderblast arrives.'

He sat down on a huge discarded oil drum, watching them closely. The second mech glowered, clearly resenting the job he'd been given. He stomped over to the unfortunate fallen mech, and began tearing into his chest, eviscerating the corpse.

Alexis began thinking fast. What would Thunderblast do? Would she take them back to the refinery? That would be almost too good to be true. Someone would punish them and Starscream would be told, but no big deal.

The more likely outcome, she though with a sinking heart, was that Thunderblast would seize the chance to make some money out of the pair of them. After all, they had been found outside the refinery, she could sell them on and no one would ever connect her to the missing slaves. Thunderblast already had a grudge against her for her stunt the previous day, she would no doubt leap at the chance to send them somewhere awful and make a profit into the bargain. Well, good luck with that. It would all be for nothing if they still had their energy signatures. Unless she removed it… Thunderblast knew where hers was located…

She shook her head again in disgust, and tried to wipe her face clean on the shoulder of her top. Despite the rather bleak situation they were in, they had finally run into what they were looking for here, and now knew its proper name. She looked up at her captor.

'Hey. That stuff you are drinking, that… dark energon. Do you know what it is? Where did it come from?'

'Shut up,' snarled the gang leader. Alexis shrugged, she hadn't expected much more than that, but she tried again.

'My owner is very interested in this stuff. I can guarantee he will pay you double what I'm worth just to know more about it…'

'I am your owner now, pipsqueak, you hear? Now shut your fleshie face before I tear it off!'

'I thought you said we were valuable, that we mustn't be damaged,' said Frenzy.

The leader got up off his barrel, stomping slowly and deliberately towards them. He leaned over the pair of them, fixing them with a glare. 'I said _shut up_, slaves. You talk one more time and I will make you wish you'd never been made. I know every single trick in the book to make you scream. Understand?'

A shadow fell over them all. 'I hope I'm not interrupting,' drawled a voice behind the gangleader, who froze on the spot.

He wheeled round, coming face to face with Starscream, who raised his eyebrows and smiled sardonically in greeting. Alexis hadn't even heard him approach. She gasped.

'Hello, Alexis. Frenzy,' said the jet casually, showing no surprise at all to see them there. 'Enjoying yourself? Nice work…' he gestured to the dead mech, now mostly in pieces. The two scavengers now had their weapons drawn, glaring at the new arrival. Alexis fidgeted, unable to rise off her knees due to her bonds. Looking up at Starscream was making her neck ache.

'Nice work? You saw that? How long have you been watching? Didn't you plan on intervening?'

'Oh, I didn't want to cramp your style,' said Starscream smoothly. 'Terrific fun to watch.'

He stepped forward, ignoring the sounds of weapons charging. The leader pushed his gun at his face. 'Hey… whoever you are… get lost, Seeker! These are ours! We found 'em, fair and square!'

Starscream smiled. Across the ages this smile had been a warning beacon to its recipients that things were about to go very, very badly for them. The leader took a step back. 'Who the frag are you?'

'Ah. Well, you know that book you were just talking about? The book of tricks, of which you know every one?'

'Yeah?'

'Meet the author.'

Starscream moved with the speed of a striking snake, slicing through the gangleader's armour with a blade that sprang from his wrist, and firing at his temple with the other arm. The leader, dead before he even hit the floor, collapsed, most of his head gone, a gaping hole in his chest. Starscream kicked his smoking remains aside, advancing on the last mech, but he had already transformed, rocketing around the corner and causing a mini avalanche of rusty parts. Dark blobs spattered the ground in his wake. For a moment, Starscream looked as if he would follow, but he sheathed his weapons with a grim smile, staring at the spot where the last mech had disappeared.

'Alexis. Report.'

'They've all got betagon in them, but it's not called that. It's called dark energon. I can explain properly later. And we've got Thunderblast on the way here to pick Frenzy and I up, to sell us.'

She was expecting that he demand to know what she was doing out here in the first place, but the jet merely nodded. 'Thunderblast… the femme you mentioned?'

'That's right.'

Starscream grinned. 'Interesting.'

He strolled towards the two of them, his smile widening. 'What a perfect sight. My two most troublesome soldiers, exactly where I want them. For once.'

'Yeah, yeah, enough of the power trip. Aren't you going to untie us?'

'No, I don't think so, not just yet.' Starscream took the seat the gangleader had vacated, his optics glowing in satisfaction, a smirk tugging his mouth. 'We may as well maintain the charade whilst we wait for this Thunderblast to get here, hm? Also, I'm not joking. I really can rest assured you won't run off whilst tied to that thing.'

She glared at him. 'Are you _enjoying_ this?'

'I honestly can't think when I've enjoyed myself more.'

He rose, and began to pace slowly back and forth, watching them both, a shrewd smile on his face.

'You know, when we got here, I thought: whilst slavery would be harsh for you, you would at least be safe. I took every step I could think of to make sure you would be secure, and unharmed. But how very stupid of me to think that all that would be enough. I should know better by now. You, Alexis, are incorrigible.'

'Well, if someone had taken my queries about humans seriously instead of reminding me of my _lowly position_, I might not have come out here.'

'Still sore about that, hm?'

'A bit. Aren't you angry about me escaping?'

Starscream sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. 'If I got angry every time you disobeyed me, Alexis, I'd have ruptured something by now. I was returning from one of the gladiator pits when I checked on your signature. How long did you think you could escape my notice?'

Alexis shrugged. 'What are you going to do? Lock me up?'

'Tempting. But I know it would cause you great pain.'

She looked up, taken by surprise. He was looking down at her, his expression now serious. 'Alexis. Have you found any evidence of humans here in your exploring?'

'Not yet. I mean, we've found out other things, I ought to de-brief you, actually. There was this mech, down in the pods…'

'Because I have.' He cut across her and she looked up again eagerly. 'You have?'

'After you left I diverted half my scout teams for a full planetary scan. No mean feat, on a world this size. Something told me you wouldn't rest until you had answers.' He smiled, but it was quickly replaced by the grave look. Alexis searched his expression, her eyes flitting back and forth urgently.

'What? What is it?' Her shoulders sagged. 'You found nothing. I suppose that's a good…'

'No. We did find something.'

She watched without a word as, with uncharacteristic gentleness, he bent down, and uncurled his fingers.

A pathetic, ragged bundle rolled onto the ground in front of her. There were a few skulls , some tiny, nugget-like verterbrae, and longer bones, probably arms and legs, with some scrappy remains of what looked like clothing. He straightened up as she stared at them, numbly. Her hand flew to her mouth, hot tears stinging her eyes.

'Oh my…'

'They were found with a dilapidated vehicle. They were young. Our scans indicate they were brought here roughly twenty earth years ago.'

She snapped her head up. 'That recent?!'

'Yes.'

'Did you find any more?'

'No.'

'But… how…'

'We will find the answer, Alexis. It looks like this mystery stretches further than Cybertron.'

She looked down at the remains, her eyes blurred. Beside her, Frenzy laid a tentative hand on her arm. Starscream spoke again.

'I am sorry.'

She laughed shortly. 'Liar. You couldn't care less about my species.'

'That may be, but you do. And I know what it is to care for something, despite appearances.'

'They must have been so afraid… So far from home…'

Her voice cracked. Starscream leant down, gently lifting her chin to look at him. 'Their troubles are over, Alexis. Focus on the now. Somehow, humans were brought here to Unicron, twenty years ago. We must find out how, and why. It may help to solve the question surrounding the… dark energon. Understand?'

She nodded. 'Now what?'

'We de-brief, back at the Portent. As soon as we have dealt with our approaching visitor, Thunderblast. Not forgetting, of course, my escaped Insecticon, who I suspect will be re-joining us soon.'

Alexis' eyes widened. 'You know about her?'

Starscream smiled grimly. 'Not much escapes my notice. She is close by. And the behaviour of her species dictates she will return very soon.'

'Do you know what she's up to?'

'I have an excellent hunch. I'm willing to bet I am not wrong.'

The Decepticon leader took his seat once more. Amongst the towering scrap he still managed to emit a regal air, as if settling into ownership of his surroundings. At his feet, Alexis and Frenzy knelt, shifting uncomfortably in their bonds. Starscream lifted his head, peering into the night, his optics narrowed watchfully for the femme's approach.

'Let's see what this Thunderblast can tell us.'


	16. Chapter 16

AN: Aaarrrgh life is mad! Been so busy... Just been watching The White Queen on BBC1 with Mama Lass and drinking wine. What better way to spend an evening? Enjoy this chapter, poor old Thunderblast finally meets Starscream before he goes all Malcolm Tucker on her. As ever thanks for reviews and feedback, I'll respond when life allows me a break!

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Chapter 16

Dart walked alone through the towers of scrap, feeling a huge weight lifted from her shoulders. She exhaled a long, slow breath, her organic internal parts feeling raw and hollow. The deed was done and her spark, for the first time that cycle, had settled back down and quietened. Now to find the human girl and figure out a way back to the pit. She might get caught, maybe punished, but that didn't matter, in the long run.

Her energon reserves were low, but she flicked her antennae back and forth and prepared to transform. Flying would exhaust her, but she would find the organic much faster, and then...

'_How many are there?'_

The voice came over her com link. As the words hissed into her brain she gasped, hands flying to her head. As if operated by a switch, she sank to her knees. She had only heard that voice once in her short life, but there was no doubt as to who it belonged to.

'M...master?'

'_How many are there?'_

He repeated the question, the words rasping over the poor feed.

'M...many? I don't…'

There was a short silence. Then he spoke again, his voice as calm as a bottomless lake.

'_I recognise your compulsion to feign innocence, but let me assure you, I know where you are, I know what has happened, and I know what you have been trying to conceal. Now. One more time. How many?'_

'Just... just three, Master,' she whispered.

'_You are telling the truth?'_

She nodded, swallowing hard, looking around as if expecting him to emerge from behind one of the scrap heaps surrounding her. 'Y...yes.'

'_Retrieve them and bring them to my co-ordinates. You are not far away. And hurry. I am expecting further company.'_

Before she could respond, he cut the feed. Dart let out a low moan, rising to a wail of anguish, gripping her head tightly.

* * *

Starscream lowered his hand from his com link. Alexis tried for the tenth time to wriggle into a more comfortable position. Her squirmings caught Starscream on the edge of his vision, and he looked down.

'What the fuck is going on? Who were you talking to?'

'Skywarp is on his way to collect you both, as well as the human remains.'

The sad collection of bones had been wrapped up as best they could, in the tattered scraps of clothing, and laid aside. Alexis found her gaze drawn to the bundle again and again. Frenzy, though not susceptible to the human inconvenience of cramp, nevertheless fidgeted.

'Hey, boss. Any chance of freeing me down here?'

'No,' replied Starscream without hesitation, his gaze returning to the path that led into their small clearing.

'Aw. Cmon... this is undignified...'

'Then you should feel right at home.'

When the casseticon growled in frustration, Starscream looked down. 'You think perhaps I am ungracious towards you, Frenzy.'

Frenzy froze. 'No! Not at all! Never!'

Starscream waved a hand dismissively. 'Oh, for Primus' sake, relax. Your actions this cycle have been nothing short of commendable. You have carried out your objective: keeping Alexis safe to my utmost satisfaction. I am pleased. Now, stop whining.'

Frenzy's mouth fell open. Alexis swung her head to meet his stunned gaze, before laughing and looking up at Starcream. 'Is this for real? You're being... nice... to Frenzy?'

Starscream suddenly gestured at them both to be quiet, nodding towards the path. 'Our first guest approaches...'

* * *

Dart entered to the clearing, her head bowed, hugging something unseen to her chest. Alexis called out to her.

'Dart. There you are! Where did you go? Are you al...'

Without a word, the young Insecticon knelt down, depositing three shiny, dark green pods on the ground. They were criss-crossed all over with tiny grooved lines, shining dully in the dim light. Alexis' eyes widened. 'Wait... are those...?'

'Eggs,' Starscream finished for her. 'Yes. Indeed they are.'

Dart kept her head down, her long spindly fingers clasped together tightly. Alexis' stare flitted between Starscream and Dart. 'But how...?'

Starscream sighed. 'It doesn't take a genius to figure out what happened. How did you get hold of high-grade, slave?'

Dart looked up, flicking Alexis the tiniest, brief glance of pure panic. Alexis spoke up hurriedly, in order to save the Insecticon the agony.

'I gave it to them, Starscream. I siphoned it off of a supply pipe, as leverage to get the other slaves talking. The Insecticons all had some too. Why?'

'High-grade energon fuels Insecticon reproductive systems,' explained Starscream, his optics fixed on the clutch of eggs at his feet. 'In order to control the population, I deliberately kept their growth stunted. Dart here found herself producing eggs shortly after she tasted high-grade. Is that right?'

'Yes, masster,' whispered Dart, so quietly it was hard to make out her words.

'And instead of reporting them, you wanted to escape the confines of the foundry in order to lay them?'

'Yes', she repeated in the same tiny whisper, still staring at the ground.

'Why?'

Dart looked up, taken aback, her panicked optics flickering. 'Why?'

'Yes,' he said with cold patience. 'Why?'

The Insecticon mumbled something barely audible, ending in: '…wanted a better life for them…'

For the first time since she had entered the clearing, true anger flashed in Starscream's optics. 'A better life? _A better life?_ You think dumping them on an unknown world in the middle of a rust heap may give them a better life? Is this how you recognise your place in my ranks?'

Alexis, though her senses screamed at her not to interrupt when Starscream was in this kind of mood, spoke up quietly. 'Starscream, she didn't want them to be born into slavery like her, I'm guessing. Surely you can understand that?'

Starscream whipped round, optics blazing, away from the cowering figure of Dart. 'Why? Why should I understand that?'

'You know what I think about all this!'

Starscream snorted contemptuously. He turned back to Dart.

'Do you have a problem with my treatment of you and your kind, slave? Hm?'

Dart stared up at him, seemingly lost for a reply. Starscream pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. 'Speak honestly, Insect. You need not have fear of punishment. You want a life of freedom, hm? Recognition? A life better than this?'

After a few moments, Dart nodded, timidly. 'Of courssse. More than anything.'

Starscream leaned forward. 'Then _work_ for it. Your kind has much ground to make up. As for me – you think I was protoformed a ruler? I too was a slave, once.'

Alexis' head jerked back up. She glanced at Frenzy, who nodded with a shrug.

'I worked, fought and dragged myself out. It was not easy. It was not quick. But your life is long, and you have time to rise, to grow. But for now you are a slave, and you must take punishment, hardship and knockbacks when they befall you. If you don't, you will never be destined for anything other than a half life, a second-best life. Do you understand? Your youth is a time to learn, to serve. Loftier ambitions can come later.'

Struck dumb, Dart nodded.

Starscream regarded the eggs coldly for a moment, his fingers flexing, an action usually signaling the release of a weapon. The seconds seemed to stretch to an eternity as they all waited, tense. Starscream's optics flickered up and met Alexis's eyes. He frowned, fighting some internal battle, before nudging the eggs with his foot.

'Take them, before I change my mind,' he snarled, and Dart sprang forward, scooping them up. 'Oh thank you, thank you master, thank you...'

'Know that they would have all perished had you left them out there. _Never_ disobey me again, and remember you cannot hide anything from your master. My supply of mercy has been used up on you today. Next time, there will be none left. I strongly advise you to avoid a next time at all costs. Do I make myself clear?'

Dart looked up, her arms cradling the eggs, and nodded. As if on cue, Blackout strode into the clearing. 'Lord Starscream?'

Starscream gestured to Dart. 'Escaped slave. I believe this falls under your jurisdiction. Take her back to the foundry.'

As Blackout hustled Dart out onto the path, Starscream threw himself back into his seat peevishly, his optics narrowed, shaking his head. 'I am turning soft. A better life... _a better life_... the _idiocy _of the young…'

'He's changed,' muttered Frenzy on the ground, as Starscream drummed his fingers against his chin. 'Time was, that Insect would have been a crater, and her eggs splattered underfoot.' He glanced sideways at Alexis. 'Your influence, I bet.'

Alexis was staring up at Starscream, rubbing her forearms to warm them up. 'Maybe don't mention that to him,' she muttered in reply. 'I don't think anyone can claim they can change Starscream. And besides…' She nodded her head to the path where Starscream was keeping watch once more. '… Whatever he thinks of the Insecticons, they are part of our ranks, however low down. Thunderblast, on the other hand…'

Starscream, hearing the name on the edge of his hearing, grinned, and leaned down. 'Shall we have some fun?'

Alexis growled in discomfort, wrenching herself into a better position in order to look up properly. 'What intel have you got on her? I've got a better idea.'

He sighed, his optics narrowed. 'You always have. Alright, go on. I'm listening.'

* * *

Thunderblast stopped short, skidding slightly and raising a small pile of dust, her optics widening even as she cursed internally at her less than graceful arrival. An unexpected sight met her. She had prepared herself for the escaped slaves accompanied by the three useless bolt-bucket scavengers.

The slaves were there - none other then the flesh creature female and the small mech that seemed to follow her everywhere. But someone else had got there first - a tall purple and black mech with two sweeping wings on his back. His broad arms bristled with weapons, and a proud jutting chest sported a cockpit and the same spiky insignia found burnt into the human girl's back. Her spark flared in her chest. Was this the elusive Starscream? He caught sight of her, giving her a rogue-ish grin as he snapped the chains securing the slaves' collars. Thunderblast had met many captains and leaders, and the way this one moved intuitively ruled him out. But he fitted Fallout's description. She took a step forward. The flesh creature was staring up at her in that insolent way she had. Thunderblast ground her teeth. Primus, it would be satisfying to stamp the life out of that ugly little monster. She fixed her best, most seductive smile on her face, addressing the purple transformer. 'Lord Starscream? I had a summons here from a... colleague, reporting two escaped slaves. I see you have recovered them yourself. I'm Thunderblast.'

The mech grinned and stepped towards her. 'Pleasure to meet you, Thunderblast. Where have you been hiding all this time? Nice plating.'

He nodded at her armour. Thunderblast giggled, pretending to be abashed. This was as far as her repartee tended to go - usually mechs would hear that giggle and continue their praise, then things invariably went as she wanted from there. Thunderblast had learnt over the millenia that conversation wasn't high on the agenda, unless it involved agreeing with her latest conquest on how brave/strong/powerful he was.

But this one merely kept grinning idiotically, eyeing up her figure. Her smile slipped for a moment, a scowl on her features. Unfortunately the mech caught her look, but instead of taking offence he laughed loudly. 'What? No femme sculpts herself like that and doesn't wanna be looked at!'

She plastered the smile back in place, nodding graciously at his skewed compliment. 'It looks as though you don't need me to return your property to you -' she nodded at the small figures behind him - 'but I may be able to assist you in other ways, Lord Starscream. For instance...'

She reached into her cargo hold, and held up the core key, raising her brows and smiling wider, one hand on her hip.

The effect wasn't quite what she'd hoped for. The purple mech glanced at it, and shrugged. 'You'd have to talk to my brother 'bout that, sweetspark. Not really my area.'

Struggling to hide her irritation by this point, Thunderblast's voice became harder as the mech turned away, lifting the two slaves with both hands. 'Your brother? That's no good. This matter needs to be dealt with by the leader.'

'_At your service_,' murmured a voice in her ear.

Thunderblast wheeled round. Behind her was an identical mech, and she realised immediately that this was who she had been waiting to meet. His armour was trimmed in blue and red, and unlike his brother, this one had the self assured bearings of a true leader. She stared, wrong footed, trying to recover her composure. He waited, his smile widening.

'Uh.. I... I am sorry, I thought I was addressing Lord Starscream.'

'You are now,' he replied, inclining his head. 'My wingbrother, Skywarp, does like to play games.'

'I got a call,' she said hesitantly. He was standing close to her, and she fought the urge to take a step back. She could feel danger coming off of him like heat, arrogance and entitlement settled like a cloak around him. _Easy, girl_, she said to herself inside her head. _Play this right, and you won't have to hide in foundries or skulk in scrap heaps like this one any more._ Out loud she continued: '... But it seems I'm too late to help you.'

Starscream glanced past her at Skywarp, who looked poised to leave. 'Back to the ship,' he ordered, glancing at the slaves. Skywarp nodded.

The human girl squirmed in the mech's fist, turning to try and face Starscream. 'Think about what I said,' she said, her glance flicking briefly to Thunderblast.

Thunderblast gasped at the show of insolence - no slave looked at their owner directly, much less addressed them. She looked up at Starscream, who didn't react. 'Back to the ship,' he repeated.

Skywarp turned on the spot, the air shimmering around him as he vanished.

They were left alone together in the clearing. Starscream turned towards her. 'Now. You have my full attention,' he said. He smiled.

Thunderblast swallowed. There was no clue in his tone as to whether or not this was good news for her. She cast about desperately for something to unite them both. 'That little flesh slave of yours is quite a handful isn't she? Hardly showing the proper deference to a leader such as yourself!'

She silently thanked Primus as he laughed. 'No indeed. Only the second time I encountered her on her home planet, she tried to sabotage me. After that I knew I had to have her.'

'You're kidding?' Thunderblast relaxed, giggling sycophantically. 'And what about the first time?'

'The first time we met... Let me think... ' Starscream thought for a moment, frowning in recollection. 'She tried to help me. And I tried to kill her.'

She laughed. 'I hope you don't kill everyone who wants to help you.'

'I try to keep an open mind,' he said cryptically.

He had started to walk, gesturing for her to accompany him. She looked down at the core key, which he had seen but hadn't mentioned, to her surprise. 'I hear... uh... that you are in the market for one of these. To help you gain access to the lower crust.'

He didn't look down, but a smile curled at the side of his mouth. 'Ah. I see. I am very sorry, but I have no need of it.'

He opened up his own hold, lifting an identical key to the light. Her shoulders sagged visibly – her remaining trump card was useless. 'Oh.'

'I won this from a noted gladiator in the fourteenth sector, and was returning to my ship when I picked up two energy signatures outside of their allocated perimeter.'

He stopped, and looked down at her then. 'But I have here someone who eagerly came to my aid, only to find it was not needed. That won't do — we must find something you can help me with. Can you fly?'

'Yes … but probably not as fast as you.'

'No matter. I will make sure you can keep up.' He smiled again, gesturing for her to transform first. It was all she could do to stop herself from jumping up and down and squealing in delight.


	17. Chapter 17

Thank you very much for the reviews, I'm glad people are enjoying the story. More to come soon hopefully!

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Chapter 17

Skywarp strode up the ramp into the Portent, past the saluting guards and into the atrium, setting Alexis and Frenzy onto the floor. The soaring hall was busy, mechs passing this way and that. Frenzy's head twitched, and he turned to Alexis, who was rubbing her sore neck where the collar had chafed.

'Starscream is over the multiple feed, sending out new scout parties, and telling all of us to prepare for a guest,' he said. 'Must be that Thunderblast. They're not far behind us.'

Skywarp leaned over the pair of them. 'Orders are to keep you two here for now.'

Alexis looked surprised. 'We're not going back to the refinery?'

'Negative. Lord Starscream says you can repair to your quarters.'

'What about Thunderblast? What's going to happen with her?'

Skywarp shrugged. 'He's not saying.'

'Maybe I could stick around here, wait and see what...'

But Skywarp shook his head. 'Orders are clear, he wants you to retire to quarters.'

Alexis' face was still for a moment, before shrugging. 'Okay. I could use a shower and some sleep. I'll be in my room until I'm needed.'

She turned, limping towards the doorway leading to the berth section of the ship. After a few moments, Frenzy scuttled after her, looking around warily lest he be spotted trying to sneak away. 'Hey. Can I come with? Are you really going to just go to sleep?'

Alexis yawned hugely, her head swimming. 'Ugh, tempting... but he's not getting rid of me that easily. I want to find out more about those bones, they can't just be stored away and forgotten. I wish I could listen in on what he'll say to Thunderblast. Did you see the way she was looking at him? You don't think he's going to... fall for her... her...'

Frenzy snorted. 'Her what? Her second rate physique or her pouty widdle face?'

'No, fall for her bullshit. Someone like that doesn't last long without some guile,' said Alexis darkly as they walked along. 'She must have plenty of intel, if she's been on this planet as long as the slaves say she has. But you can bet it will come at a price. Dismissing her would be stupid, but... the longer she's around, the more she might... cause trouble.' She growled in annoyance. 'Why isn't anything ever _simple_? I wish I'd had more time to talk to Starscream about it before she got there!'

'I mean,' she continued as they rounded a corner - 'He's vulnerable on this planet, let's face it. He doesn't yet know how the dark energon got to Cybertron or who put it there. What if Thunderblast uses that against him? How can we trust her? She could demand anything she wanted in exchange for information!'

'Oooh, he's vulnerable!' mimicked Frenzy, adopting a falsetto voice in an impression of Alexis. 'Primus, you make our leader sound like a lost little sparkling. You are talking about _Starscream_, right? You're so cute when you go all wifey on him!'

Alexis flushed crimson and lashed out at the cassette with a clenched fist. He dodged the blow swiftly, chuckling. 'You need to give Screamer a bit more credit. It takes more then some curves and smooth talk to pull the shield over his eyes.'

'That's something I've been wondering about,' said Alexis curiously as the two of them neared her quarters. 'Why don't you see many transformers in romantic relationships? I mean, you're obviously capable of something resembling human love. Look at you and Lucy...'

Frenzy widened his optics and quickened his pace 'Save it!'

'Oh, your turn to be embarrassed, hmm? But it's a legitimate question. So ... how come?'

Frenzy shrugged as they reached her quarters, stepping inside. He immediately collapsed into the only chair, leaving her the bed to climb onto. 'Lots of factors, I guess. We've been at war for so many centuries, friendship and dating kinda took a back seat. Males outnumber femmes. We live for so long that long-term relationships can get kinda... burdensome, so many mechs don't bother. There's no evolutionary reason to bond. Take your pick. We're not like humans. You are so... brief, it's like you live for a day and then die. You rush to find someone to be with. And I guess you guys kinda need the sex in order to make more humans, right? We don't have that excuse.'

Alexis raised her eyebrows with a smirk. 'Wow, Frenzy. You should make a sex ed video. That last bit was pure eloquence.'

'Hey, I got no complaints from Lucy.' Frenzy grinned, sinking back in the chair. 'I tell ya, it made being human worth it, just for...'

'Alright, enough! I don't need details!'

Frenzy sniggered lewdly. 'Come on, prude! When did you last get some?'

He squealed as the pillow hit him in the face.

* * *

Thunderblast raised her brows in the shadow of the towering black fortress. The spires stabbed upward at the turbulent cloudy sky. Guards flanked the entrance, the power of their weapons evident. Beside her, Starscream transformed into his upright mode. Her spark pulsing, she turned towards him.

'Lord Starscream, before we go inside, I have a request to make of you.'

Starscream was frowning into the middle distance as he lowered his hand from his comlink. 'What can I do for you?'

'Well, a girl like me has seen her share of danger.' Thunderblast placed a hand on her hip. 'I need assurance from you that I can leave your vessel at any time, unharmed, should our talks turn sour. I'll need you to give me your word.' She opened up her hold, producing a slim, small datapad. 'Enter your signature, please. It's just to ensure my safety, you understand. Nothing personal.'

Starscream took the datapad, lifting it to his face and scrutinising it closely. 'A contract?'

'That's right.'

'Smart girl.'

Starscream studied the wording, his lips suppressing a smile. 'So, in signing this, I must let you leave my fortress at any time should you wish it, completely unharmed. Is that right?'

'That's right. Failsafe, I think you'll agree.'

_I won't be leaving without a nice position high up in your ranks, of course_, she thought, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. _Primus, he's good looking. Just give me half a cycle of your time, flyboy, and you'll be eating out of my hand._

Starscream handed the pad back, the Decepticon glyphs glowing across the screen. 'I wouldn't have expected anything less. All signed. Your safety inside my walls is guaranteed. Now, shall we?'

He strode into the fortress, his guards parting swiftly to let them through. Everyone they encountered bowed their head respectfully, making way for the jet. Thunderblast took in the shining black floors, the superior security tech, the gleaming armour of the Decepticon forces, and clenched her hands, fighting to contain her triumph.

After walking a short way down a corridor with tall ceilings, Starscream ushered her into a circular room, with two chairs. A drone brought energon in for them both before retreating. She seated herself, watching him sit down opposite her. The energon tasted better than anything she'd ever had on this planet. Thunderblast waited as Starscream touched his com link once more. This time he spoke aloud.

'Thundercracker. Have you found anything? Good. Wonderful. Three, hm?' His optics flickered to her for the briefest instant. 'More than we need, but continue to gather whatever you can. Hold them back for a brief while longer. Yes.' He paused, listening to the mech on the other end, before laughing. 'You know me, TC. Always two steps ahead.'

He signed off, looking over at Thunderblast once more. He smiled, and pulled his chair so that it was much nearer to her. Thunderblast watched, her mouth slightly open, as he sat forward, his elbows on his knees, optics staring straight into hers.

'I am going to ask you for help. More help than I have requested from anyone else on this sphere. In this room I am going to divulge information that is top secret. The fact is I find myself with little choice – I have achieved far less on this planet than I would have liked in this time frame.'

Thunderblast's optics widened slightly, and she smiled, bowing her head coquettishly. 'I'm flattered, but confused. You've mined more energon than Stormstrike has managed to, only in the space of a few cycles. And you have a core key. So what else are you trying to accomplish?'

He regarded her seriously. 'Back on my home planet, I was poisioned by an element I thought was Betagon, a superior energy source. It possessed a conscious, mullti-faceted mind, and almost won control over me. I survived, and purged myself of it, but before I did so, I traced its origins here. I now learn this is dark energon. I am not here to mine, like everyone else. I am here to find out what this dark energon is, and who sent it to Cybertron. Not only that - but why? And how?'

He rose from his seat, beginning to slowly pace around the room. 'So far I have established this mysterious, lawless planet is rich in every resource you can think of. Access to the lower levels seem restricted. Why is this? What is down there? Who introduced the concepts of keys? Who here has been to Cybertron, and why would they plant this tainted material on my planet? What were they trying to achieve?'

He stopped, facing her. 'My intelligence sources tell me you have been here for some time, Thunderblast. I need any information you possess. I have come so far, but when I dig deeper I meet lies, deflections, ignorance. So tell me. Can I rely on you for loyalty?'

Thunderblast was temporarily lost for words. Was it really to be this easy? She had pegged Starscream to be a ruthless, calculating and clever conquest - a challenge. To find out this wasn't the case was disappointing. Her lip curled slightly. 'Sit down, Starscream.'

He stared at her, his optics narrowing. Clearly he wasn't used to being addressed like that, and his own mouth thinned into an angry line. Very slowly, he sat, his hands gripping the rests tightly.

She sat forward, slinging one leg over the other. 'I can certainly give you valuable intel, Starscream. But you must realize I have a price.'

He waved an impatient hand. 'Of course. Name it.'

She leaned in closer. 'A place in your ranks, of course. By your side.'

This time it was his optics that widened. 'My side?'

She laughed, tilting her head. 'Is it such an unattractive proposition? I can give you everything you dream of. My full loyalty and co-operation, my intel. My affections. Exclusively yours. Don't tell me that's not a price you wouldn't willingly pay. I've seen the way you have looked at me since you met me. I've seen it before.'

He stayed still as she leaned in closer, a smile creeping across his mouth as she laid a hand on his chest.

'What do you say?'

He stood up, letting her hand trail and fall. 'I had another idea in mind.'

She looked up. 'Oh?'

'Yes. You give me all the information I ask for, and in return you can seek refuge here, in the rank of drone, and I refrain from killing you. Provided you are as useful as you make out. That is my offer. It's a generous one.'

Thunderblast got to her feet, her spark pounding. 'You can't hurt me. You signed that contract. The terms are wired into our circuitry!'

He shrugged. 'Child's play to override a simple little thing like that. But I won't hurt you. I don't need to. And providing you play along, there will be no occasion for you to come to harm, you grasping, scheming little parasite.' His voice lowered to a hiss.

She gaped at him, her top lip tugged in a snarl of anger. 'How _dare_ you! You said yourself you need someone like me! And I'll be damned to the Pit if I give you an iota of information for such meager reward! You can _rot_ here for eternity for all I care!'

He inclined his head towards her. 'It seems that our discussions have broken down. Can I take it you are not willing to accept a place in my ranks as servant class?'

'I'd sooner die!' she spat.

At these words he raised an eyebrow. 'Very well. Let me show you out.'

He took her upper arm, and strode out of the room, back down the long halls towards the atrium. He was taller than her by quite a few feet, and she was forced to stumble to keep up.

They reached the atrium, guards standing to attention. Starscream gestured towards the doors. 'Open them.'

The doors swung wide. Thunderblast's knees buckled.

At the bottom of the ramp stood a screaming horde. There were sharkticons straining at heavy chains, their jaws champing razor sharp teeth in her direction. Beyond them were dozens of mechs, from several factions. They were screaming her name, shooting lasers and bullets, waving rusty blades and heavy clubs. The shots bounced off an invisible force-field, erected round the ramp.

Thunderblast stared, aghast, at the hateful crowd now roaring at Starscream, gesturing for him to deliver her to them. Starscream leaned down, murmuring into her ear.

'Do any of these mechs appear familiar to you? Hm?'

When she merely mouthed, speechless, he chuckled. 'Then allow me to jog your memory. That rather large mech there is Dredge, a junkticon pirate I believe. You stole his weapon stock and sold it, so I'm told. And that one there… you ratted him out to his enemy in exchange for faulty upgrades, which you then sold to… him, the one with the rotating saws on his arms. Non of them look particularly happy to see you, do they?'

Dredge had fought his way to the foot of the ramp, and was slamming his fists against the force-field. _'Bring her out now! Bring her out to face us!_'

'H… how did you know?' she whispered, still staring, unable to tear her optics away from the mob below.

'Oh, I made a point of doing a little research on you. It wasn't difficult. But, forgive me, you wanted to leave. Let me fulfil my side of the contract. You have indeed come to no harm aboard my ship.' He stepped forward, the steel grip on her arm dragging her onto the ramp. The roars of the mob grew louder and she whimpered, shaking her head. 'No!'

He ignored her, dragging her further towards the grasping hands and waving weapons. She cringed, burying her face in his arm to shut out the horde. 'What do you want? Please! What do you want from me?'

He stopped, looked down at her. 'I told you. Your loyalty. Your knowledge.'

'You have it.' Her voice was shaking. 'You have it, I offered it to you earlier, and I offer it now!'

'You didn't mean it then.' Starscream smiled, a cruel, cold smile as she squirmed before him, flinching at the bangs and yells below. 'But you mean it now. And you will aid me on _my_ terms. _Not_ on yours.'

'Yes, yes! With all my spark, please, close the doors!'

After what felt like an age, he stepped backward, gesturing once more to the guard. The doors closed, and the sound of the mob was cut off completely.

'Excellent,' he said briskly. 'Welcome to the Decepticon ranks. Blackout will see to it that you receive some better armour. No mech of mine is walking around with that poor excuse for plating.' He gestured dismissively to her armour and she looked down, humiliated. 'Your energy signature will be assimilated into the archives, and I will call upon you soon for a briefing. Lets see how you can help us.' He suddenly leaned over her, and she flinched backwards. 'Consider this a trial run. Do not fail me.'

She swallowed hard. 'How… how do I know you won't kill me when you've finished here?'

'You don't.' He turned away. 'Use the time you have here to convince me to do otherwise.'

Her hands were shaking, partly from fury, partly from fear.

'One more thing.' He spun on his heel to face her again. 'It's _Lord_ Starscream, to you. You'd do well to remember it. Skywarp will take you to the armoury, and show you all you need to know.'

SKywarp had appeared behind her shoulder, and laid a hand on her arm. Starscream began to walk away. Her survival instincts screaming at her to be silent, she nevertheless shouted after him.

'I meant it, you know! I would have given you my loyalty! I wanted to! Trust me!'

Slowly he turned, walked back over to her, a look of cold disbelief on his face. 'You think someone like me gives away his trust so easily? To someone he has only just met? My trust is a gift, rarely given. Don't presume yourself a recipient any time soon.'

He looked over her head at Skywarp, with a look that plainly said _get this one out of my sight_. Suddenly he blinked, a signal coming over his comlink. As Thunderblast stared, his entire demeanor changed, the cold menace evaporating from him like mist. He raised a hand to his com link.

'Hello. Where are you? Are you rested?'

He paused, and then laughed. 'Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?'

Skywarp firmly began steering her towards the armoury as Starscream stalked off in the other direction, still talking into his com link. 'We will. I could promise you anything right now, I really could. Things are finally turning around, I can feel it. Come on down and I'll explain.'

'Who is he talking to?' she muttered, as Skywarp escorted her along. She wasn't expecting an answer. The purple jet laughed. 'Someone he trusts, sweetie. Implicitly.'

She merely kept walking, staring at her feet, trying to take in the day's events. Skywarp threw an arm around her shoulder, the familiarity causing her to start in surprise. 'Aw, cheer up, miss. You're a Decepticon now! You're one of us! And you survived a first meeting with the boss!'

Coming towards them was yet another jet, this one was blue, and Thunderblast groaned. How many versions of Starscream were on this ship exactly? Skywarp punched the blue jet on the arm. 'This is Thundercracker, second in command. TC, meet Thunderblast, newest addition to the Decepticons.'

Thundercracker raised his brows by way of greeting, addressing his brother. 'I'm off out. Patrolling.'

'There's a briefing soon. You're meant to be there, surely?'

'I won't be long.' Thundercracker observed Thunderblast wryly, still with Skywarp's arm round her shoulder. 'What happened to Stulta?'

Skywarp gawped at him. 'Huh?'

'Your girlfriend,' said Thundercracker patiently. 'On Lithone?'

Skywarp snorted. 'Oh come on! I'm just keeping this little lady company, is all! Nothing meant by it! Besides,' he grinned, 'We're in a different galaxy, aren't we? And you know what they say about being in another galaxy. It doesn't count.'

'We're in the same galaxy,' Thundercracker pointed out.

Skywarp's shoulders sagged. 'Oh.'

He brightened. 'Different solar system though!'

Thundercracker sighed. 'See you later, Warp. Tell our brother I won't be long.'


	18. Chapter 18

Sigh. A long holiday in southern france in sizzling heat and I just don't tan, unfair! Anyway, here is chapter 18. Thanks for the reviews as ever, they make my day :-)

Chapter 18

Thunderblast had changed her mind. She wanted off this ship, and fast. Screaming hordes were suddenly looking quite attractive.

Her spark pulsed unpleasantly as she was hustled down a huge, dark corridor, shoulder to shoulder with other mechs of low rank. Skywarp had left her at the armoury, and she hadn't seen him since. It was beginning to dawn on her that encounters with Decepticons of the higher orders were not going to be part of her daily routine.

Blackout, the Decepticon's armourer and jailer, had stripped her armour, an experience she didn't want to dwell on, and had cursorily replaced it with the standard garb of Decepticon drones: dark grey, close fitted attire, trimmed with purple. It was much heavier then her old, cheaper hide and she trudged along miserably, grimacing with the weight of it. She had lost her most important asset - her looks. Now she looked like everyone else. Her face was still feminine, but that was about it. She ground her teeth. Starscream had trapped her utterly. She shuddered when she remembered his cold, calculating smile. He had seen straight through her game and out-manoeuvred her before she had even set foot on this ship. Thunderblast bowed her head, re-living her humiliation.

She had been given a weapon, standard issue of the lower orders, but she couldn't aim very well, and had stuttered a protest to that effect when the gun was configured to her forearm. Blackout had glared at her.

'Then you won't be much use, femme,' he'd growled. 'Better learn fast if you want to survive. I hear our master only wants you for what's in here-' he tapped her forehead roughly. 'And it don't look like that amounts to much. You know the best thing to do, when Lord Starscream wants you for something you aint good at?'

'What?' she'd bleated, staring into the red optics for a clue.

Blackout had leaned over her. 'You learn how to do it, femme. Very, very quickly.'

'Can't you show me? I mean, I could...'

Blackout snorted. 'I aint got time to mother some useless drone! Get to your station!' When she'd hesitated helplessly, he'd sighed. 'Down there, take a right, follow the curve and it's the second left.'

Normally she would smouldered her thanks, but Blackout had already turned his back.

_At least I'm not a slave_, she thought to herself as she trudged. The thought repeated itself over and over in her head, like a mantra. Small comfort, but it was something. A few of the drones peeled off, and she followed them, blinking as the ship's computer sent her directive into her comlink.

The group moved into a huge chamber. Struggling to process the directions whizzing into her processor, she dragged chairs into place, helped her peers lay out energon cubes, and watched whilst one tapped into a panel set into a vast table. The table's surface glowed eerily, showing a map of Unicron. The moment she craned to catch a view, an assortment of bizarre objects were thrust into her hands, with instructions to place them on the table. Bemused, she peered at them: a few small packets and some tiny vials of liquid.

_Where have I seen these before?_

In the moment she realised, several things happened. The group filed out, but the ship's computer issued a command for her to stay where she was. She wheeled round, finding the room emptied. As the last mech filed out, he stepped carefully around something small on the threshold. Thunderblast's optics widened.

The organic slave girl stood in the doorway. She had exchanged her ragged attire for a smarter black body suit, the Decepticon insignia on the front, and sturdy looking boots. As Thunderblast looked on, she pulled her hair back, fastening it into a ponytail. Then she caught of Thunderblast. She froze.

Thunderblast watched the small creature's eyes as it darted about the room, finding it empty. After a long pause, she began walking across the large open space, her body language tense, guarded. Thunderblast knew that look, for it was the one she had been wearing ever since Starscream had issued his ultimatum, and she couldn't help but smile grimly at the tiny fleshling's obvious wariness. It felt good to be reminded she wasn't entirely at the bottom of the pecking order.

The human girl had climbed rungs set into the table leg, and emerged on the top. She sat herself down. The two females regarded one another in silence.

Finally the slave girl spoke. 'Looks like you and I are early. Thunderblast isn't it? You look different but I can tell it's you.'

Thunderblast tapped the edge of the table. 'Slaves aren't allowed to speak unless spoken to.'

The human didn't react. She merely reached out for one of the pouches, pulling it open and picking out the contents. 'Have you been to your berth yet?'

'What?' the femme snarled. 'What has that got to do with anything?'

'When you get to your berth, check the wiring beneath before you recharge.' The human licked her fingers, delving into the pouch once more. 'It's a custom for newbies to get a shock to their systems. An initiation prank. Then they get disciplined when they show up to briefings or training with slurred speech and flickering optics. Don't make a big deal out of it. Just check, quietly, when you get there, and fix it. Whatever you do, don't make a fuss. Obviously I haven't had it done to me, but I hear things from the others.'

Thunderblast narrowed her optics. 'Why should lowly vermin want to help me?'

The girl glared at her. 'I don't know. It's not because I like you. Maybe I just feel sorry for you. Maybe I'm an idiot.'

'Well I don't need your help,' Thunderblast hissed vehemently, leaning forward. 'I don't need your help, or anybody else's!'

'We both know that isn't true.' The human returned her stare, her back straight. 'You're in deep shit and you know it. Starscream will chew you up and spit you back out once he's done.' Thunderblast flinched, and the girl raised her eyebrows in acknowledgement. 'Take my advice, and don't screw this up. Listen to what he wants and answer him, honestly. Impress him with your experience of this planet. Because if you chase your own agenda, you're dead. Starscream would...'

Suddenly a crowd of approaching footsteps cut her off. She whipped her head round, staring at the empty doorway, then back to Thunderblast. 'Quick, the wall, stand against the wall! Hurry!'

Thunderblast stared at her. 'What? Why?'

'Protocol! You're drone class!'

Thunderblast began to back away, unable to resist a parting shot. 'Drone class beats _slave_.'

The human girl rolled her eyes. 'The wall, now!'

* * *

Starscream strode swiftly into the hall, an entourage of mechs in tow. 'Where is the commander?'

A green mech leaned forward as they assembled round the table. 'Thundercracker is out patrolling my Lord.'

'I asked him to be here.' Starscream growled in annoyance. 'Very well, we can start without him. Skywarp, the diagnostics, if you please.

Skywarp postioned himself around the panel, the table springing to life with a spinning map of Unicron. Thunderblast fidgeted against the wall, feeling like an intruder. No one had yet acknowledged her presence. Every single mech in the room apart from her had their own distinctive colours on their armour - an indicator of their status. She watched Starscream move round to be directly behind the human slave, who was spreading out small sheets of paper, studying them intently. What she saw next made her spark freeze.

Starscream bent down, murmuring something to the girl. Thunderblast saw a smile light up her features, and she looked round, nodding and gesturing to her notes. The two of them talked quietly together, oblivious to everyone else , the huge hulking jet nodding as the human explained something. The realisation of her mistake crashed into her and she almost gasped with the shock of it.

_That's no slave. And the way I spoke to her... Oh Primus... it was all a trick. A cruel trick!_

Suddenly she was jerked from her horrified reverie. Starscream was snapping his fingers impatiently, the entire company turned to look at her. 'You, femme. Step forward. Don't keep me waiting.'

She swallowed, and trotted up to the table, conscious of many optics on her. Starscream seated himself, she watched his hand come to rest in a proprietorial way beside the human girl, who was studying her notes once more, her fringe over her face. Thundercracker felt ill as she recalled slamming the wretched creature into the wall beneath her foot, not to mention holding her underwater in disinfectant. Any moment now, the human girl would look up, smugly tell Starscream of her ill treatment. And then she would be dead.

'May I introduce a valuable source. At least I hope she will prove valuable.'

The other mechs were silent, watching her as Starscream spoke. 'Now, Thunderblast, I would like clear, succinct answers to my queries, or else we can retire to a rather different room where I can extract them, through my own means.'

Silence as Starscream finished his speech. 'I'm sure that won't be necessary,' she croaked in reply.

'Glad to hear it. Now, report please Skywarp, in Thundercracker's absence.'

Skywarp swelled with importance. 'Hey, I wish TC were away more often, you never ask me to report! Prepare yourself for the best reporting you ever...' he trailed off at a stare from his brother, and coughed hurriedly. 'Uh.. report, yes. Well. Now we have a core key in our possession, this seems the best point of entry to the secondary crust.' Another wave of his large hand and the map zoomed in. 'We've found dark energon in several species of mech, all in advanced stages of, uh, decay, and some insignificant spots avaliable on the surface. But all attempts to study this stuff has come up against dead ends.'

'How many species on this planet, in total?' asked Starscream.

'Close to a million, leige, from many sectors.

'Any that have reached the secondary crust?'

'Some have claimed to, but those we spoke to were not able to make much sense. This dark energon seems to mess with mechs' heads.'

'How many of these species were able to make it here on their own?'

Skywarp frowned. 'Uh.. What do you mean?'

'Members of Alexis species were found here on this planet,' said Starscream. Alexis' head snapped up from her notes, she swivelled round, hugging her knees, suddenly paying close attention. At a gesture from Starscream, the bundle of bones were brought forward, and laid out on the table. 'Roughly eleven humans, young, came here to Unicron not twenty Earth years ago. Scans indicate they arrived alive, but perished shortly afterward. Some tiny fragments suggest there were many more than eleven. Now, as we all know, the human grasp of space travel is in its infancy. Therefore these specimens were brought here by someone else. How many other species of this sort have we found?'

'We're still cataloguing the finds, Lord,' Dirge said, leaning into the discussion.

'Not good enough. I need information, _now_!' Everyone jumped as he pounded the table.

'Uh… I can go and finish compiling the figures …?'

'Then do,' Starscream snarled. Dirge hurried out.

'Why would humans be brought all the way to Unicron?' Alexis pondered aloud, turning to look up at Starscream, who was tapping his chin, his brow furrowed in thought. 'Did the Decepticons ever kidnap humans?'

He looked down. 'I'm not asking so I can have a go at you,' she said earnestly. 'But was it ever common practise to abduct species for any reason?'

'Our intent across the ages has been to conquer, and find energy sources,' said Starscream. 'We've done many things that would turn your blood cold, Alexis, but to my knowledge we never abducted humans, or any other life forms. There never seemed any point.'

Thunderblast stepped forward. 'I can remember humans being brought to Unicron,' she said.

The room, at that point buzzing with quiet discussion at the table, fell silent.

'Go on,' Starscream said.

Thunderblast blinked her optics, intimidated by the sudden attention. 'A long time ago, I don't remember the exact date,' she said. 'There was... a fashion, I guess, back then, to offer up sacrifices to the planet's core.'

There were intrigued mutterings at the table. Starscream leaned forward. 'The planet's core? Why?'

Thunderblast shrugged. 'Back then this planet was thick with energon, it welled up out of the ground in springs, literally flowing through the streets. Mechs drank themselves into overload every cycle. It was a game, really. Somewhere between a game and superstition. Mechs would get drunk and throw some poor sap down one of the deep natural wells you used to find here. It was said it led to the core. No one really believed in the sacrifice idea, I guess it was an excuse to pick on the weaklings. The game died off over time.

'One day,' she continued, 'I was with a tribe of some low-lifes, drinking energon. And these creatures were dragged to the well. They were little, with soft bodies and plumage on their heads, like, um, Priority One. They looked just like her.' Awkwardly she pointed to Alexis, who was hugging her knees tightly as if in pain, her chin lifted, her face as still as stone. 'Some of them were dead already. They were yelling and crying in a strange language, begging for mercy. The live ones got thrown down the well one by one. The dead ones got picked apart.'

More silence followed her story. Alexis took a deep breath. Starscream leaned forward. His fingers, though not touching the girl, curled around her back and shoulders, forming a protective wall around her. 'Who brought them here?'

'I honestly don't remember, St … Lord Starscream. I'm sorry.'

'Who else got thrown down this well?'

'All sorts. But mostly outsiders. I mean, this planet has no natives, everyone here is a visitor from somewhere. But it was considered best to throw in creatures specifically brought from other worlds. That was thought to best please Unicron, or whatever it was.'

Starscream sat back, his optics glittering. 'I see.'

'It was just a game,' she repeated lamely. 'No one really believed it. And I never actually threw anyone in myself...'

He held up a hand, stopping her panicked babble. 'Let's talk about the secondary crust, and dark energon.'

'When the energon reserves on the surface got low, that's when people started mining,' said Thunderblast. 'Core keys get you down deeper still, where you find other minerals and all kinds of things.'

'Including dark energon,' the Decepticon leader prompted.

'Yes.'

'Who has managed to break through to the secondary crust?'

'A few mechs I know.'

'Where are they now?'

She shrugged. 'I don't know.'

Starscream growled, a dangerous sneer tugging his lip, and she raised her hands. 'I don't know, I swear! I don't tend to stay in one place, and some of them just vanish!' She sighed. 'Look. Every time a mech gets hold of a core key it's the same story - he's in a bar, bragging that he and his team are going to bring up a huge shipment of dark energon. Then one of two things happens. They come up a shadow of their former selves, a babbling addict, or they vanish.'

Starscream and Alexis exchanged glances. 'But still people try?' Are they not put off by those depressing prospects?'

Thunderblast shrugged again. 'Profit is profit, and everyone knows mining is dangerous. They go down saying they won't drink it, they'll just bring it up to sell. But it always ends the same.'

Starscream gestured for some energon, looking down at Alexis. 'You need something to drink as well.'

She waved him away distractedly, looking at Thunderblast. 'What do you know about this dark energon? What does it do?'

'It... makes you want more. I haven't ever touched it. I've seen what it does to people.'

'What does it do to people?'

'Makes them talk nonsense, saps their strength. Eventually they wander into a gloam pit and don't come out. That stuff is evil. But you won't hear anyone telling you that here. Everyone here is out to make profit or gain. Scaring mechs away with spooky stories is bad for business.' She looked at Starscream. 'If you go into the secondary crust, everyone will be watching for your return, hoping you'll be different and bring up a huge shipment. But deep down they know what'll really happen. You'll come up ruined, or you'll disappear.'

'I intend to do neither.' Starscream stood up, and his mechs hastily followed suit. He looked down at the human girl, who was staring into space, chewing her lip. 'Alexis. We must find someone who drinks this dark energon and see what we can discover, see if their experience was similar to mine. And then I will activate my core key, and go down into the secondary crust. We will get to the bottom of this.'

Alexis looked up, her eyes large with anxiety, nodding her head. 'I want to come with you.'

'Of course, you have experienced the reaction of dark energon first hand. I will need you with me.'

'I meant into the crust, Starscream.'

'No. Absolutely not.' His tone was firm but gentle. 'I forbid it, and there will be no argument. I will not endanger you like that.'

'I came all this way with you for a reason!'

Starscream's reply died on his lips as the doors to the hall opened with an almighty crash. The assembled company wheeled round for the source of the commotion - a cloud of dust revealed two slumped figures, the larger one leaning on the smaller. A dozen weapons clicked and whined, trained on the duo. Starscream stepped forward. 'Who is there? Step forward, now!'

Thundercracker emerged from the smoke, and lurched towards the table. Alexis's eyes widened and she gasped, hands flying to her mouth: the commander's left foot was gone, the remains of the limb mangled and blackened. His helmet was dented, the plating on one side of it almost completely torn off. With a grimace of agony, Thundercracker stumbled, almost falling in front of his speechless brother. As all looked on, the mech supporting him lifted her head, revealing herself as Arcee. Starscream stepped forward swiftly, grabbing his brother under the arms and taking his weight. 'Thundercracker... what happened? What is _she_ doing here?'

Thundercracker grabbed at Starscream's chest as a chair was rushed forward for him. Starscream wheeled round at his assembled mechs. 'What are you staring at?' he roared. '_Take him to the medic bay, NOW_! And as for you...' he snarled, grabbing Arcee and pulling her forward, causing her to yell in surprise. But Thundercracker lifted a hand, his speech slurred in agony.

'Let her go, Screamer, she's with us... she's with me. Starscream, brother, we have to leave this planet. We have to leave, right now!'


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Energon glugged from open wounds onto the surface of the vast table as the medic team lifted the commander onto it, flinching at his roars of pain. Alexis backed up to the edge to give him room, moving to be near Arcee, who was stood near his head. Thundercracker, his teeth bared, grimaced and clenched his fists. 'Primus! That hurts!'

'You should be in the medic bay,' replied Starscream, his arms folded. His narrowed red optics darted from his wingbrother to Arcee, whose head was bowed, her composure visibly shaken.

'Nah,' grunted Thundercracker, his optics still offlined in pain. 'Gotta fill you in brother, now. This can't wait. We have...'

Starscream waved his words aside, striding forward and scattering the anxious medics who had clustered round the smoking stump. 'This has been cauterised. Who did that?'

'I did,' said Arcee quietly.

Starscream raised his eyebrows, unsmiling. 'Good work, for an autobot. And what's your part in this? Hm? Come to take your place in my brig, stowaway?'

'I'd walk into your brig with pleasure,' replied Arcee softly. 'If it means never having to go back out there again.'

That made Starscream pause, turning to look at the Autobot as if for the first time. Arcee was famously fearless, known on both sides for her unwavering nerve. Something had terrified her. She also hated Starscream with a passion, yet now she moved forward, her expression grave. 'Listen to Thundercracker, and get us all out of here, Starscream. Or we're all going to die.'

Starscream regarded her for a long moment. Alexis, her hands clasped under her chin, stared up, holding her breath at the tension. Finally the jet spoke, his face grim.

'We'll delay usual Decepticon protocol regarding Autobots for the moment, Arcee, whilst I listen to your accounts.' He typed rapidly into the panel near the table, and Thundercracker's diagnostics sprang onto a wall mounted screen. 'Your energon feeds are stabilising, Thundercracker. We'll have the parts brought up for a new foot. Now...'

He sat down, extending his palm. 'Tell me everything.'

* * *

_Earlier that cycle_

Thundercracker landed in the small colony to the north, his scans highlighting ramshackle buildings, packed in close together. Only seven or eight thousand inhabitants, of varying species. His mouth turned down in distaste at the low-grade and garbage trickling through the gutters. This place was isolated on all sides by desolate plains of bare rock, fissures and cracks spewing smoke and dust. It was the cracks that had drawn him. Some energy fluctuations had come up on his scanners.

He stalked through the narrow streets, vaguely reminded of Lithone as his wings almost scraped the sides. He had to duck regularly under badly-built bridges or trailing wires, fighting his way through a scrum of scrap traders, couriers, messengers, work drones. A few were huddled at the sides of the path, their optics blank, black fluid dribbling from the sides of their mouths. His expression darkened and he strode on, batting aside clawed hands begging for credit chips, or asking for work. His gleaming armour and proud bearing were attracting unwelcome attention.

Eventually he arrived in a courtyard, the surrounding walls leaning dangerously as if about to fall. A doorway emitted a faint glow and he headed for it, the energy signals getting stronger. As he stepped over the threshold he did a double take, realising he had entered a spark den.

Thundercracker hadn't visited a spark den since his younger days, but those had been rather different. All spark dens were, strictly speaking, unauthorised, but the dens of his memory had contained glossy, feisty femmes who were there for their own gratification as well as the mechs they serviced. He shook his head. Perhaps his age had made him nostalgic, for he had remembered them as cheerier places than this.

Before his optics were a dozen or so femmes, their armour dented and faded, their jaws slack, optics glazed and vacant. The tell-tale signs of dark energon screamed out at him and he fought the instinct to draw back. The femmes, unused to such an illustrious visitor, clamoured forward, their grasping hands reaching out for him. '_Hey, commander, over here, I can show you something you'll like... no, look at me... just five credit chips for a good time... '_

A hand scabbed with space rust stroked his arm and he yanked back with a growl. The pathetic looking creatures cringed. Pity mingled with his disgust and he straightened his shoulders. 'Sorry, ladies. I'm here for something else...'

A cubicle in the corner was sectioned off from the rest of the room and he headed for it, the femmes trailing behind him, still trying to grab his attention with cooing and wheedling. He peered into the narrow slot at the top. Inside huddled a dark shape. His optics widened in recognition.

_Arcee? It can't be..._

He spun round, to be met with a stooped, grinning mech, his servos clasped before him in sycophantic amiabilty. 'Welcome, welcome! That one's out of bounds, master, though I have many more pretties here for you...'

His whores yelped and leapt back as Thundercracker wrapped a meaty hand around the mech's throat, his primed laser an inch from his optic. 'I'm going inside to talk to this one. Any disturbances and I'll melt you right here on the spot.'

He let go and the mech staggered back. Thundercracker opened the rusty door, stepping inside. Other mechs, sensing trouble if they lingered, scattered.

The light was dim in the cell. Arcee sat in the corner, knees drawn up, optics dark, head slumped forward. A crack in the floor glowed and smoked, emitting sputtering sparks every few seconds. Thundercracker stood before her in silence, running a scan.

After a while, she slowly raised her head, spying the legs of the Decepticon in front of her. Her gaze travelled up, taking in the looming form of her enemy. Her voice, when it came, was just above a whisper.

'Come to gloat?'

Thundrcracker stared down at her for a moment. Space rust peppered her limbs. 'What happened, Arcee?'

She sighed, unmoving. 'if you're going to gloat... you might as well... shut the door...'

She gestured weakly, and he turned, closing the door, his face a mask of quiet concern. 'I can get you out of here.'

'I'd rather stay put, thanks.'

The instant the door was shut, she stood up in one fluid movement, brushing the fake space rust from her arms. It took less than a second for the disguise to melt away and she smirked at his stunned expression. 'Fooled you did I?'

'I... you...' he spluttered as she laughed drily, striding across the cell and grabbing a datapad. 'I thought you needed rescuing!'

'Nope,' she said casually, squatting down over the fissure and running a scan. 'I bunked down here when I discovered this energy emission. It's fascinating and I wanted to study it further. The pimp out there you impolitely assaulted lets me stay here unmolested, in return for payment. No one takes a second look at a diseased femme in a spark den. Until you showed up.' She looked up, wryly exasperated. 'I can't get away from you no matter how hard I try. Why are you here? Tracing the same energy fluctuations?'

'Of course.'

She stood up, her arms folded. 'Going to steal my research and take it back to Screamer?'

Thundercracker sighed. 'Must we argue? Maybe we could work together? Your tech looks pretty basic, no offence. Up at the ship we have fully stocked labs, better equipment... Don't tell me you'd rather stay here. Come to the ship.'

'Over my sparkless body,' she snorted. '_You_ might be ready to play Happy Families, but I'm not, and I know damn well Starscream isn't.'

After a moment she sighed. 'As you're not going to go away, you might as well have a look.' She hunkered down, gesturing for him to do the same. Next to the glowing crack was a jumble of small objects. Thundercracker squinted at them, and she scooped them up to show him. There was a small wheel from a child's bicycle, a ragged humanoid thing Thundercracker recognised as a toy human children play with, a bundle of feathers, a book of drawings... he glanced at Arcee quizzically.

'Presents from the human children back on Earth,' she explained. 'When I decided to stow away, a few of the human kids on the base found out, and they gave me some of their treasures as good luck charms, to keep me safe.' She laughed shortly. 'Damn irritating, at the time, being given pointless extra luggage to take along, but somehow I just couldn't leave them behind. Turns out they were more useful than I ever could have anticipated.'

She scooped up a handful of raw earth from the grubby floor, taking his large hand in her own and pouring the soil into it. 'Tip that down the hole. Go on.'

He did so. Nothing happened. The fissure continued to glow and smoke. He looked at her non-plussed, but she grabbed the bicycle wheel. 'Now watch this.'

She held it over the hole, and dropped it in. The effect was immediate, and dramatic. The ground shook beneath them, a dull rumbling noise filling their audios, and a flurry of sparks shot upwards. Arcee grabbed the datapad, where the new figures were glittering on the screen. 'See the reaction where you drop in a foreign object? Everything I've fed into the gap from another planet has had the same effect. It's like the surface of the planet _knows_ when something foreign is touching it. And the energy readings go through the roof.'

'Bizarre,' he rumbled. She nodded enthusiastically. 'What do you think it means?'

'No idea,' he said. 'We haven't tried anything like that on our side.'

'These natural wells go very deep, deeper than usual,' Arcee said. 'Which is why I'm here. I have a theory... it's kind of wild, but...'

'Go on,' he prompted, his optics on her face.

'Well, it's probably stupid, but there's this plant back on Earth... it attracts insects with an appealing scent, and when they land on it, it snaps shut, trapping the creature inside and digesting it.'

'A Venus Fly Trap,' said Thundercracker. She looked up, surprised. 'You know it?'

'Starscream catalogued millions of Earth's species when we invaded, before he got assigned Europe,' Thundercracker explained. When she looked disbelieving, he chuckled. 'You may only see the tyrant on the surface, but just between us, Starscream is still quite the science geek. He just won't admit it.'

'Well, it seems the planet draws energy from visiting organisms. Not just organisms, but anything from another world. That might explain its rich resource - it's collected mass over the aeons from other planets.'

'But how?'

'I don't know,' she replied, frowning. 'Anyway, it's only a theory. An extremely vague one. Ratchet would not approve of such wild hypothesising.'

'Your theories have been good in the past,' he said seriously. But she merely shrugged off the compliment.

'I think we're safe here on the surface, but the deeper you go, the more vulnerable you are. Ironic really, mechs come here to mine and plunder, without realising they're at risk of becoming ... amalgamated.' She shuddered.

'That would explain mechs going missing when they mine for dark energon,' muttered Thundercracker. 'We've been doing our own enquiries, see. Mechs go down beneath the surface, and not all of them come back up. They just... disappear.'

'This crack is only small, but in the secondary crust there could well be bigger ones. Holes large enough to swallow a dozen or so mechs at once. Maybe more. I'd need more data to make a more accurate guess.'

Thundercracker straightened up. 'I should tell Starscream about this,' he said.

Arcee stood up, a scowl suddenly on her features, nodding curtly. Thundercracker observed her abrupt change in deameanour.

'Well, what else did you plan to do with this info? Huh?'

Arcee scowled harder, looking at a point past his shoulder. 'I was going to contact my comrades, get them to come here.'

He laughed. 'How, exactly?'

At his laughter, she grew angrier. 'By sneaking on your ship again!' she hissed. 'Decepticons guards are dumb, it's not hard. Optimus has probably mined enough energon by now to come here! He will! Eventually! My move will have inspired the autobots to follow, take action! It's not just you that cares about Cybertron, you know. We may not have the fancy tech or the upper hand, but it doesn't mean we don't care!'

'Hey I never said...'

'Forget it.' Arcee said shortly. 'Take it to Starscream if you must. It's not like I'm not used to doing the work and getting no gratitude.'

'Are you talking about the virus you created?' he reached out as if to pull her to face him, but thought better of it, clasping and unclasping his hands. 'We were grateful. We let you guys come back to Cybertron, didn't we?'

This turned out to be the wrong thing to say. 'Oh, lucky us!' she spat sarcastically. 'Allowing us to come back to our home! What do you want, medals?'

Thundercracker growled in annoyance. He hadn't meant for the conversation to stray into this territory. 'Alright, less of the attitude! Look, come back to the ship with me. I'll handle Starscream. Work with us...'

'I'd sooner work with my own side, or by myself.'

'Ugh! Fine,' he snapped. He stepped to one side, bowing her out with mock politeness, seething.

Arcee stalked out of the den, too angry to notice strange silence that had fallen it. She transformed and roared through the narrow streets. Mechs stepped swiftly aside as she wound this way and that, finally reverting to upright mode several streets away. Far behind her she heard the roar of jet engines - he must have taken off and left, she deduced. The area was eerily silent. Smoke was billowing out of the cracks in the ground in greater quantities today. She switched her vision to infra-red, waving a hand in front of her face to clear the fog.

The ground shook as she stepped out onto a wider road. There was a scattering of mechs standing stock still, staring blankly ahead. Others were tapping them, waving at them, confusedly trying to get them to move. Arcee approached a rusty brown scrapper, who was shaking the shoulders of a tatty red mech, standing as still as a statue. Dark energon was leaking from the vents at the side of the motionless one's head.

She drew level. 'What's happening?'

The brown mech shook his head, his voice a raspy croak. 'Dunno, lady! A few kliks ago all the Empties got to their feet and just stood there, still as rocks!'

'Empties?'

'Dark energon addicts,' he said, looking at her as though she were stupid.

What happened next happened very fast. As one, the dark energon statues lunged, grabbing the nearest mech in a vice-like grip ... the ground beneath them split open, the cracking sounds of shifting rock echoing up the street. The red mech yelped as his companion, his optics now black, grabbed him round the throat and began dragging him towards the gap. A hellish glow of magma from the split rock uplit the chaotic scene. All around her were shouts and cries of mechs being overpowered by those possessed with dark energon. She cursed and ducked into a bowing doorway. The ground beneath her was tilting, sending her scrabbllng feet sliding towards the abyss.

Mechs were shouting, pleading, trying to reason with their attackers. Arcee stared, optics wide with numb, detached horror as the brown mech she had been speaking to was manhandled into the crack, vanishing with a scream. The possessed red mech turned, slowly. it spotted her. Then it stalked towards her, mouth dripping dark energon, optics black and glittering with intent. She charged her guns. 'Stay back, abomination! What do you want?'

The voice, when it came, was scratchy and mulit-faceted, like the voice of a thousand ghosts. '_Time to take your place. We return to our master...'_

She lashed out at it, and it staggered back. Behind her she heard buildings starting to collapse as the ground became more unstable. The entire shanty town was sliding into a giant maw opening up beneath them. A burst of red heat stung her left side, making her stumble. A hand closed round her wrist, the vice like grip dragging her... she screamed and kicked out as hard as she could. 'Get OFF ME!'

A familiar, rumbling voice sounded in her audios, the grip slackening. 'Ow! That fragging hurt, autobot!'

'_Thundercracker!_'

'The one and only.' The cocky, disarming grin gleamed through the fog as his blurred shape loomed over her. 'If I fly you outta here, you gotta promise not to attack me. Deal?'

'Deal,' she gasped. He nodded. 'Right, I'm gonna try taking off. Brace yourself for... Aaaooowwaaargh!'

'What is it? What's happened?'

'My foot,' he grunted. 'It's stuck... it's getting pulled...'

He roared in agony, tugging at it. He had slipped into one of the cracks. As she looked on, horrified, the surrounding rock crushed his foot, a rumbling rising around them, as if the ground itself were eager to swallow them up. Thundercracker's optics slipped out of focus with the pain. 'Get outta here, Autobot... I got this...'

'Oh, don't be stupid, you big lug!' she cried. 'Thundercracker, we have to get out of here. We've got to shoot it off.'

She gestured to his trapped foot. His optics widened. '_What? _A little drastic, don't you th...'

The ground groaned again and with a panicked yell he was sucked down a few inches further. He looked up. 'Yeah, on second thoughts... do it!'

'We both have to do it,' she said grimly, moving to be beside him. 'My firepower won't be enough. Charge your guns and look away. On the count of three, we shoot. Alright?'

He nodded, the fearsome cannons on his arms whining as the power charged.

'One... two... _three!_'

There was a deafening _boom_ and the jet screamed, grabbing her to his chest as he shot free of the chasm. His powerful arms crushed her to him as he took off. She looked down numbly into hell as they rose higher, and saw pieces of his wiring and plating tumble free, the leg below now a messy stump. They circled over the chaos, and watched the town slide into a huge crack, smoke and flashing lights rising into the sky. The whole place had gone, swallowed up into a crater, fumes and flames belching into the sky where it had stood.

* * *

She didn't know for how long they flew. Presently Thundercracker landed badly in front of the Portent, collapsing onto his hands and knees as she was flung from his grasp. She rolled to a stop a few yards away, groaning at the cramp in her joints. The two of them were silent for a while. Arcee got to her feet, looking over at Thundercracker who was hauling himself up, reaching out a trembling hand for her help. She ducked under his arm, grunting with exertion as she pushed him upright. 'Primus, you're heavy.'

He managed to laugh. The strange pair limped towards the ramp.

'What in Primus' name... did we just witness?' he muttered, his optics flickering.

'I'm not sure,' she replied.

'The ground just... ate everything up! Your theory... it's correct...'

'No offence, Thundercracker, but just shut up and save your energon until you get to a medic bay. I'll see you to the bottom of the ramp.'

He nodded, giving her a sideways glance as she helped him forward, slumped under his weight. The silence, however, didn't last long.

'I suppose I should say thanks for... coming back for me.' Arcee said gruffly. She noticed Thundercracker's ruined leg was dripping energon onto the ground. She bent down, applying her laser to the wound. 'Hold on, I'm going to seal your energon flow off. Stop you from losing any more.'

He winced at the stinging sensation, then chuckled as together they limped another step. 'Did you think that would be enough to make us even?'

She sighed. 'What?'

He laughed again, pausing as pain from his leg shot through his body. 'You ... ow ... got help from a Decepticon back there. You know that comes at a price.'

'Naturally,' she said darkly. 'Which is?'

He grinned at her. 'You help me up this ramp, and into the ship. Come with me.'

She paused, repositioning his arm slung round her shoulders.

'Come on, Arcee. You can't let the second in command of the Decepticons... ugh... _crawl_ up this ramp. We've got my reputation to consider.'

She bowed her head, and they took another painful step forward. 'I'd be a prisoner.'

'I'll look after you in there, Arcee. You have my solemn word. Hey, look at me.'

She obeyed, her stare meeting his.

'I will look after you,' he repeated. 'No one will be allowed to harm you.'

She looked away from him up at the looming, black ship, its spires puncturing the sky, and swallowed hard. 'Alright. I'll come in. Let's get you fixed and then I .. I'll tell Starscream what we saw.'

* * *

A/N: Sorry for any typos, I'm unbelievably tired as I upload this. The foot-getting-stuck episode in this chapter is indeed a little tribute to G1 Starscream in the 1985 movie. I mistakenly thought he got his foot stuck in Unicron, but in fact it was autobot city. Hope you enjoyed, thanks for your comments and feedback!


	20. Chapter 20

Big shout-out to Archaeopteryx Feather who has given me some great feedback and also was kind enough to write me a new and much better summary blurb for this story. All credit for the blurb goes to her, so thank you very much Feather! (had to edit it slightly for darn character limit, grr.) Please check out her profile and her stories. Thanks as ever for the reviews, enjoy chapter 20.

Chapter 20

Alexis stared down at the rhythm of Starscream's strides, from her perch on his palm. They had left the main council chamber after Thundercracker and Arcee had relayed their story. Thundercracker's foot had been repaired, and he now walked with just a slight limp whilst the new parts properly configured.

'Skywarp, summon all Decepticons from each rank, and brief them on all we have learnt. I want everyone on this ship up to date,' said Starscream. 'Also send water for Alexis from the stores, my scans indicate dehydration.' Skywarp nodded, peeling off and disappearing down a side passage. The Decepticon leader touched his com link.

'Frenzy, go back down into the refinery. Keep a look out for any unusual energon feeds, and monitor ground movement. But first, go to Fallout and report Alexis missing.'

Alexis looked up at him as he cut the feed. 'Why? What's the purpose in that?'

Starscream smiled grimly, his gaze fixed ahead. 'A mech in your debt is a useful tool indeed. No harm in making Fallout think he has mislaid a Priority One. That could work in my favour later.'

'From all this, I take it you aren't going to take my advice and leave this planet behind you?'

That was Arcee, who had accompanied Starscream and his entourage out of the hall. The jet had made no order for her to be locked up. Arcee was well aware that this did not guarantee her safety, but with a shrug she had accompanied them. To any observer, they made an extremely strange group – the fearsome seeker jet, his soldiers, a human woman, a sulky femme in drone attire and an autobot. They arrived in the main laboratory, Starscream dismissing the lab workers with a curt gesture. Alexis was deposited on the main table as Starscream approached his terminal.

'In answer to your question, I didn't come this far to flee,' Starscream said as he made some notes on the screen. 'This ship is on a far more stable sector, I believe for now we are safe. But be assured your information is noted, autobot.'

He turned, placing both spread palms on the table and leaned forward, his brow furrowed in thought. The rest of the group gathered round the table. 'What do we have so far?'

Alexis spread out her notes. 'Dark energon is a collective entity, and it flows through the secondary crust of this planet. More than once it has referred to it's 'Master', suggesting it is in thrall to some greater power. And it possesses those that drink it.'

'And we've seen the planet itself responding to foreign material, and witnessed first hand it opening up to… to…' Arcee cast around for the right word - '…Ingest a whole town! And those addicted to the dark energon went willingly, throwing in those who fought! The dark energon is working for the planet itself, turning mechs into... into food.'

Dirge, at the far end of the table, snorted disbelievingly. 'Oh, come on. Are you saying the planet's _alive_? Do you realize how mad that sounds?'

'You weren't there,' Arcee snarled. 'I _saw_ it with my own optics. And so did Thundercracker!'

Alexis shivered, looking down at the surface of the table, her mind's eye boring through the ship to the very ground it rested on. The room fell silent, everyone contemplating the prospect of being swallowed alive. Alexis shook herself, looking up at Starscream, who was deep in thought.

'It still doesn't explain why it came for _you_. When I spoke with it on Cybertron, it said it had come to _ready the ones that consume us for their purpose. _How did it get to Cybertron? Someone must have put it there.'

Starscream took a while to respond, seemingly lost far away in thought. Eventually he nodded. He hadn't looked Alexis in the eye since they had been in the council chamber. 'One thing we have learned - I believe this dark energon needs a host in order to move. Our next step is to interrogate a mech with this dark energon in them, to see what more we can glean from them. Find out why Cybertron was targeted, and by whom.'

Alexis nodded. 'Good thinking. I'll come with you.'

'No you won't.'

The room went still, with a tense silence. The mechs present exchanged uncomfortable glances. Starscream turned away, busying himself at the terminal. Alexis rose to her feet.

'What do you mean by that?'

'I mean you will refresh yourself with food and drink, and then you will be sent back to Cybertron. Or Earth, if you prefer. Before this cycle is out.'

The colour drained from Alexis' face. She had been half expecting this, though it wasn't a conversation she wanted to have in front of all the other Decepticons. Starscream would know that, and had engineered the situation deliberately. She swallowed hard, struggling to find the words to say, a flush on her pale cheeks. 'I don't want to leave. I want to stay and help.'

Starscream did not turn around. 'Out of the question.'

Her words tumbled out faster as her heart rate began to speed up. 'You said, back on Earth, that if I wanted to come, I could, you said I would be…'

'Things have changed, Alexis. The situation is even more dangerous than I imagined.'

'I already knew that. I won't go home!'

'Then you will be forced.'

The coldness of his tone stunned her and to her horror she felt tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. Mortified, she brushed them away with her sleeve. 'Please don't be like that.'

To her left, a shadow fell across her as Thundercracker leaned forward. 'Come on, Starscream, she's one of us. She's more than earned her stripes. Let the kid stay if she…'

'Don't question my authority,' Starscream growled without looking round. Thundercracker straightened up with a small shake of his head. He knew better than to push it. Alexis' chest rose and fell rapidly as the anger rose within her, she balled her fists, the nails cutting into her palms.

'That's it? Are you going to dismiss me without even looking at me?'

He ignored her.

'Starscream! LOOK AT ME!'

The scene was disturbed at that moment by the entrance of a drone, who saluted in the doorway, looking terrified as all heads turned towards him. 'Lord Starscream?'

'What do you want?' snarled Starscream as he finally turned.

The drone stepped forward into the room, his hands shaking slightly. 'Your Lordship… I… that is, we… we… uh….'

'Spit it out, or by Primus I will incinerate you.'

'It's… the organic food stores, your Lordship,' the drone whispered. 'They've… they've been destroyed…'

* * *

Starscream stood in the ship's hold, staring down impassively at the wrecked, smoking remains of the container that housed Alexis' food, water, medical supplies and clothing. The drone stood obediently to attention, yet his optics kept wandering nervously to Starcream's weapons. Thundercracker passed Starscream a datapad. 'Surveillance footage, brother. An intruder. Look.'

Starscream frowned. The footage showed a skeletal mech, with one optic, limping towards the container and opening fire. Smoke then billowed out, obscuring the mech from view. 'He only damaged this container.'

'Indeed. Everything else is untouched. And theres no sign of him on the ship any more. He got on and off without a single witness.'

Starscream replayed the footage. 'Alexis' last report mentioned a mech of this description... Fornax, I believe.'

Thundercracker peered closer. 'He looks barely able to function. How did he get past the guards?'

'What an excellent question,' said Starscream. The drone behind him cringed back as he turned.

'No one came to the entrance, my lord! We saw no one!'

'Then how did this happen?' Starscream held out the datapad. The drone shook his head. 'I don't know, my Lord. I am sorry.'

'You are sorry?' Starscream reached out, grabbing the drone's throat and lifting him slowly off the floor. The mech's optics widened as he squeezed tighter. 'Please… my Lord…'

Thundercracker appeared at his side. 'Why would anyone do this? It's as if he targeted Alexis deliberately. Why would a strange mech sneak on board and eliminate her supplies? Who would want to starve her? Are we dealing with a ghost? It's stupid.'

'It doesn't make any sense,' Starscream conceded. The drone's optics flickered as energon feeds to its processor began to back up in Starscream's grip. Thundercracker sighed. 'Drop him, Screamer. Killing this one won't solve our problems.'

Starscream sniffed, flinging the hapless drone across the room where he crashed into a corner in a heap. 'Have the guard roster replaced. Though I doubt the good it'll do. If Alexis was the target, then this mech's work is done. All the more reason now to send her home.'

Skywarp came in on the comlink. _'Starscream. You're not going to like this…'_

'Oh, now what?' Starscream spat, his optics narrowing as he strode out of the hold, Thundercracker hurrying after him.

_'Soundwave has come back to the Portent. He's got grave news. His own words.'_

'Soundwave?' Starscream stopped short, staring at Thundercracker, who had been let in on the feed. 'Soundwave should be halfway back to Cybertron by now.'

_'Yeah well, he's back here. He'd better tell you himself.'_

Soundwave's frequency came onto the com link. _'Leader.'_

'Soundwave. What is the meaning of this?'

_'Lord Starscream. Unable to leave Unicron. Atmospheric shell has upgraded to bar exit.'_

'A planetary forcefield?' Starscream shook his head. 'Impossible! Your circuits must be fried. Send a scout team up to test…'

_'I already took the liberty, leader. Forcefield is consolidated and complete. No one can leave Unicron.'_

* * *

Starscream emerged into the main atrium, Thundercracker beside him. 'We're going for a flight,' he said abruptly, gesturing to the guards who hastily opened the doors. Starscream transformed and took off, roaring into the sky, Thundercracker close behind him. They soared out and upwards, leaving the Portent as a speck in a matter of moments.

Thundercracker remained silent as they rose through the atmosphere, but his spark sank and he inwardly groaned as they both spotted the glowing shield encircling the planet. As they drew nearer his engines sputtered and stalled, as the shield's drag became apparent. They could go no further. He heard an angry snarl across the com link as Starscream banked and wheeled sharply away to try again, but everywhere they tried was the same. The two jets shot like twin arrows through the clouds, Starscream's fury lending greater power to his speed.

_What do I do brother? What can I do?_

_If we are trapped here, Starscream, we are forced to dig deeper. Find the cause, our enemy, and eradicate it. _

_Who is behind this? Whose desire to destroy me runs so deep? Can I really give credence to this theory that the __**planet**__ is out to get me?_

_We won't know until we try to find out._

They flew rapidly over a vast colony of twinkling lights, the many inhabitants blissfully unaware of the nameless consciousness beneath them.

_How long do we have to bring the forcefield down? She'll starve if she doesn't die of thirst before that. She has days, maybe an Earth week, before we must get her out of here. _

_There is something you can do to help her, Starscream._

Starscream put on another burst of speed. _She will hate me for it._

Thundercracker reciprocated with power to his own thrusters, drawing level with his brother._ But she has no choice._

* * *

The jets landed, Starscream striding into the atrium where Skywarp, Soundwave and others were waiting. The flight had cleared his head, he felt better, his thoughts straightening out. Skywarp fell into step beside him as he sought out Alexis, locating her energy signature still in the lab.

'The weird thing is mechs are still coming in, Starscream,' said Skywarp as they walked. 'So we got ships and patrols pouring in, with no one able to get out. Things are gonna hot up around here.'

'That suits the flytrap theory,' said Starscream. 'The planet is offering itself up as bait, but when the time is right… everyone still stuck here will be the main course.'

Arcee ran up to the group, falling in with Starscream's rapid pace despite her smaller size. 'Call the autobots, Starscream,' she said urgently. Starscream grunted dismissively, but she leaned in, undeterred. 'Don't tell me you've got more pride than intelligence, Starscream. Call on them, bridge them here. They can help!'

Thundercracker rubbed his chin. 'She might be onto something, Starscream. Can we open a channel out here?'

Starscream snorted derisively. 'Don't tell me you agree with this autobot's ramblings!' He suddenly stopped dead, staring at his second in command, before his shrewdly narrowed optics rested on Arcee. 'Ah. Now I see.'

There was silence as Thundercracker laid a protective hand on Arcee's shoulder. Starscream raised his eyebrows. 'You have developed a fondness for this autobot that goes beyond a practical alliance, hm?'

Thundercracker opened his mouth to reply, but Starscream held up his hand. 'Luckily for you two I have more pressing matters on my processor at this moment. If we all get out of this alive, we can discuss it then.'

Thundercracker and Arcee exchanged glances as Starscream swept into the lab, frowning in confusion. 'Odd. My scans put Alexis in here. Where is she?'

Slowly he approached the table, leaning down without a word to inspect the tiny metal object, laying on its side in a small pool of blood - Alexis' energy signature pod. She had wrenched it out of her neck.

Starscream straightened up. 'She already knows,' he said softly.

'We'll search the ship,' said Thundercracker, putting a hand to his com link. 'I'll have the exits sealed.'

Stascream nodded. 'I have a feeling I know where to find her.'


End file.
